POOLE youngsters treated family and friends to a musical extravaganza at Poole Arts Centre. Several hundred youngsters took part in the first Poole Schools Music Association Christmas Concert 2000 last night and a second concert will take place next Thursday
...nigh on 200 miles from Bournemouth, as Kevin Nash discovered on a long, long trip to Land's End in Cornwall IT'S a long way to Tipperary, it's a long way to go. Ditto Land's End. I looked at the road map before setting out. Just two counties away,
HUNDREDS of Cherries fans packed out a presentation at the Bournemouth International Centre last night as they listened to a plea for help to fund a new 12,000-seater stadium. Dean Court legends Harry Redknapp and Ted MacDougall were there in person to
SUPT TONY NOTT, head of community safety in Dorset Police, spent five weeks during the summer seconded to Kosovo as part of an international team investigating war crimes. He was team leader of the British Forensic Team which is fullyfunded by the government
DEARIE me, it's fast becoming that time again, isn't it? Far be it from me to tinkle on anyone's parade or anything, but this whole Christmas malarkey has got to stop. While all the big computer corporations and chainstores are rubbing their hands with
ED PERKINS reviews the latest book releases. * The Last Precinct by Patricia Cornwell, Little, Brown, £16.99 If you've read the previous 10 thrillers about Chief Medical Officer Kay Scarpetta you can probably do your own post mortem examination by now
INSPIRATIONAL targetman Steve Fletcher today admitted his chances of returning to spearhead Cherries' bid for FA Cup glory are "75-25". Fletcher has been sidelined with a niggling hamstring injury and was back in light training at Chapel Gate yesterday
HUNDREDS of motorists were stopped on the Dorset and Hampshire border yesterday as part of a surprise smuggling clampdown. Customs and Excise officers teamed up with police as the Ashley Heath roundabout on the A31 near Ringwood was turned into a checkpoint
CONMEN claiming to be from water companies have been using the wet weather to prey on the elderly in Weymouth and surrounding area. Tricksters told elderly householders in the resort and at Owermoigne that they had come to check on water leaks and when
WORKERS clearing a cottage full of furniture were horrified when police pounced on them, thinking they were burglars. Officers swooped on a West Dorset village after reports that a property was being ransacked. Six patrol cars descended on the centre
POLICE are hunting a thief who stole £100 from a house on Portland - all in five pence pieces. The coins were in a whisky bottle stolen from a house in Verne Common Road on Wednesday. Now police are urging banks, building societies and amusement arcade
BAE SYSTEMS has been selected by the Ministry of Defence to undertake work on Project FALCON, the British Armed Forces' future tactical wide area communications system. The £400 million project involves the Christchurch-based company in partnership with
MAGPIES manager Mark Morris leads his side into Senior Cup action tomorrow hoping his return at centre back will help avoid a repeat of the embarrassment Dorchester suffered at the hands of the same opponents five years ago. After his emergency stint
AN "EXPLOSION" which caused chaos during a bomb scare was caused by a man bursting a balloon, the Daily Echo can reveal. The bang terrified neighbours as police hunted for an device thought to have been planted by a blackmailer. But the source was a balloon
HE has seen Tina Turner bald; broken bread with Prince, Elton John and umpteen other international rock stars; shared quiet cups of tea with David Bowie and signed autographs for Rod Stewart. But now Micky Chapman, 51, is happiest at home in Bournemouth
IT TOOK him more than 52 hours, cost him two nights' sleep and earned him a headache ... but Bournemouth mobile disc-jockey Terry Pritchard has achieved his lifetime ambition of playing every UK number one single back-to-back in strict chronological order
SHE is sitting in her office in the newly decorated student union block with just over an hour to spare between lectures for our interview. The phone is ringing, there are students wandering in and out every five minutes and her son Oliver, the second
Dorset's answer to Jack Hargreaves on rural living in the last century THEY lined up with their owners ready for the race at the big fete to celebrate Victoria's jubilee. Rabbits, cats, dogs, a goat, a goose, a hen, a tortoise, a pig and even a frog competed
Celebrate 40 years on the street and bid for a piece of classic script. 8th December 2000: Fsauctions, the Freeserve Auctions site, has teamed up with Coronation Street and This Morning to help celebrate 40 years on the street. Corrie fans will be given
FRIDAY (8) Goldrush (Excise House, Hope Square, Weymouth): Zac is at the helm as works from Skunk Anansie and The Offspring to Iron Maiden and Motorhead are undertaken. Bob Hall and Stuart Carr (Dorchester Arts Centre, School Lane, The Grove, Dorchester
BOURNEMOUTH sports physiotherapist Stuart Bowers confirmed his growing reputation as a cyclo-cross star by winning the silver medal in the South of England championships. He matched the speed of the winner, Oli Beckingsale (Scott UK), in the opening stages
Dorset and Wilts Division Two leaders Weymouth visit second placed Blandford in a real four-pointer. The Seasiders lead Blandford on points difference with both clubs winning all five of their league outings. Weymouth have scored 199 points to Blandford's
INSPIRATIONAL targetman Steve Fletcher today admitted his chances of returning to spearhead Cherries' bid for FA Cup glory are "75-25". Fletcher has been sidelined with a niggling hamstring injury and was back in light training at Chapel Gate yesterday
HARRY WALTON relates the stranger-than-fiction tale of Ethel Gee and Harry Houghton - known to history as the Portland spy ring THEY scarcely drew a second glance in the pub as they sat by a flickering log fire. Harry Houghton and Ethel Gee were not what
ONE of the most beautiful and evocative Christmas pieces, Finzi's In Terra Pax, is being performed by Dorchester Choral Society on Saturday, December 16. The choir will be joined for the concert by two of the county's strongest young singers - soprano
DORSET was hit by storm chaos as heavy rain and gale force winds lashed the county again last night. Diners at Swansons restaurant in Weymouth were marooned as they enjoyed their Christmas meal. They had to be ferried across the floodwater on specially
IT could be YOU - one lucky lottery punter is sitting on a £131,202 dream ticket in West Dorset. National Lottery operator Camelot says the fortune has been unclaimed since the numbers 11, 16, 22, 39, 42, 48 and bonus 38 came up in the summer. Now they
VANDALS damaging road work signs and lamps in Weymouth are risking a seven- year jail sentence. Police powers under the Crime and Disorder Act allow officers to arrest offenders, who face severe sentences even for a first offence. PC Rick O'Shea said:
A LOCAL company has put itself firmly in the picture in our Christmas Toy Appeal. Damers Blinds of Southill has donated six cameras and six personal stereos for needy children this festive season. They will go to children who would never ormally expect
THE hardy people of Dorchester proved it would take more than howling winds and driving rain to stop their Christmas Cracker going with a bang. The wet weather failed to dampen the spirits of the hundreds of people who filled the streets of the county
THE Duke of Gloucester has officially opened the new St John Ambulance Brigade headquarters in Dorset. The Duke was the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the new building, which stands at the entrance to Poundbury in Dorchester. As well as being
WOODROFFE School at Lyme Regis is refusing to confirm claims that evidence of drug-taking has been uncovered in a police operation. The Echo has been told that at least one pupil has been excluded from the school and faces disciplinary action. But Kerigan
"MOTHERLY instinct" prompted a woman worried about her daughter being bullied to threaten a group of schoolchildren, a court heard. Janice Kiejko, told the group of young teenagers at a bus stop that if they "touched her daughter" they would be killed
PEOPLE considering moving into the business world of franchising can find out more about the subject at a series of free educational seminars being staged at next year's British Franchise Exhibition. Held at the G-MEX centre in Manchester on February
DASTARDLY dognapper Cruella De Vil is on the scent of young pups again in this sequel to the 101 Dalmatians. Actress Glenn Close, well known for her bunny boiling antics in Fatal Attraction, reprises her role as animal enemy in chief for this Christmas
TWO crooks thought to be responsible for a series of distraction thefts committed this week have been captured on film. The men were filmed by CCTV cameras during an attempt to steal from a service station. Now police have appealed to the public for help
A PASSIONATE appeal to save Bournemouth's Winter Gardens earned a rapturous reception from school children and their parents. The plea came at the end of the annual Bournemouth Schools Carol Festival, the most popular event on the venue's calendar. It
WHAT a spectacular sight it will be when the world's three most famous classic super-yachts meet up in Christchurch Bay next year for an historic racing regatta. Lymington Town Sailing Club, which is to stage this epic clash between the mighty J Class
DEARIE me, it's fast becoming that time again, isn't it? Far be it from me to tinkle on anyone's parade or anything, but this whole Christmas malarkey has got to stop. While all the big computer corporations and chainstores are rubbing their hands with
CHERRIES defender Karl Broadhurst proudly displays a tattoo in memory of his late mother Lynne, who died of a brain haemorrhage in October at the age of 40. Broadhurst kissed the tattoo - which spells his mother's name in Chinese - after scoring Cherries
If FINNBARR WEBSTER didn't have a great time in Holland - a real Dutch treat, in fact - then I'm the proverbial Dutchman NO matter what your expectations are from a holiday, and if 'going Dutch' appeals to you, then a stay at a Gran Dorado Holiday Village
There was a distinctly festive feeling in the air when the Christmas tree lights were switched on in Ferndown. Mayor Pat Young, aided by local school children, flicked the switch to light up the civic Christmas tree in the town's Millennium Park. A crowd
TOP folksters The Albion Band will be at Bridport Arts Centre on Saturday to provide an evening of festive merriment for all. Formed more than two decades ago by Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span stalwart Ashley Hutchings, the Albion Band has a devoted
POACHERS are carving a bloody trail across Dorset in a bid to cash in on game meat demand for Christmas dining tables. Deer and pheasant have both been targeted by the raiders, who frequently butcher carcasses by the side of the road. PC Rick O'Shea said
OVER the years he has dug deep to find his musical roots. It was therefore inevitable that, having explored jazz, blues and even skiffle, the Belfast Cowboy would sooner or later hitch a ride on the trail signposted country. When Van Morrison originally
WEYMOUTH will be out to set the record straight when they entertain King's Lynn in the Dr Martens Premier Division at the Wessex Stadium tomorrow, ko 3.00. The Norfolk side inflicted a 2-1 opening day defeat on the Terras at The Walks Stadium and manager
ARE you a musical theatre performer? Would you like to improve your skills? Now's your chance. On Saturday February 3, professional singer and director Roberta Morrell will be holding a local workshop and masterclass for anyone involved with musical theatre
DORSET was hit by storm chaos as heavy rain and gale force winds lashed the county again last night. In Dorchester, an inch of rain fell in just five hours and torrential rain and high winds marred the annual Christmas countdown celebrations. But defiant
SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has been given the go-ahead to sell a restricted range of non-food goods in its Dorchester store. West Dorset District Council has given the chain permission to use 15 per cent of its floor space to sell everything from toothpaste
TRADERS in Bridport were praised by the police for the way in which they banded together to stop a thief. Dorian Dunell, 26, has been sentenced to six months' probation for an offence which ended when he was stopped in his tracks by traders who made a
LESSONS were cancelled at the Sir John Colfox School in Bridport and every pupil was invited to taste a variety of winter festivals - from making a 30-foot dragon to African dancing. The focus day was run on the same lines as the successful Japanese day
THE ART OF WAR (18) Neil Shaw (Wesley Snipes) is an elite American operative with the counter-terrorist branch of the UN who is framed for the assassination of China's envoy to trade talks, escapes from custody and tries to convict the real killers. Slick
FLOOD warnings have been slapped on rivers in Dorset and Hampshire as the region prepares for a repeat of November's floods this weekend. Severe storms bringing heavy rainfall are expected to add more strain to the already high water levels of the Mid-Lower
BEST known for their curious three wheeler, the Bedfordshire-based low volume sportscar maker Strathcarran has unveiled its first serious four-wheel performance sportscar. The two-seat Strathcarron SC-5A roadster has been developed from the SC-4 concept
A CHRISTMAS food appeal has been launched to help animals being cared for at Purbeck's Margaret Green Foundation. The foundation looks after many dozens of creatures including cats, dogs, hedgehogs, goats, birds, horses - and even five pot-bellied pigs
The top-five titles this week with Waterstones of Bournemouth... 1 Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years by Sue Townsend 2 Chocolat by Joanne Harris 3 The Truth by Terry Pratchett 4 Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett 5 Scarlet Feather by Maeve Binchy 6 East
A martial arts club from Poole is celebrating after scooping top awards at a national championship recently. Youngsters and adults from Poole Jujitsu Club won gold, silver and bronze awards at the Jujitsu Association of Great Britain's annual competition
RUTH MEECH, the old romantic, digs her hair extensions and deelyboppers out of the closet and talks to a reticent Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran, who would rather leave the 80s behind Let's set the scene. It's a Thursday night in the early 1980s. It's time
IN the showrooms now is the latest Subaru Impreza with a new and improved engine. The car icon of the 90s reached cult status among car fanatics and Subaru is confident the newcomer will be even more desirable than the outgoing model. According to its
LITTLE Miss Muffet - as you've never seen her before - is set to take Weymouth by storm in a festive panto extravaganza. The timid character made famous in the children's nursery rhyme has undergone a glitzy transformation to take the starring role in
ONE of Weymouth's leading amateur panto groups is taking to the stage again tonight with its lavish production of one of the top children's tales. Directed by Sarah Hughes, the St Edmund's Players are staging Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, with Lucy
DELIGHT your children with a festive treat on Saturday when The Puppet Man brings The Emperor's New Clothes to Dorchester Arts Centre. The Hans Christian Anderson classic combines humour with the great story of a vain emperor who is tricked into walking
A WEYMOUTH man whose car struck a dog in a road accident has defended himself, saying "I'm no yob." Lifeboat volunteer Richard Garton, 22, was shocked at suggestions by families that he was a "boy-racer" following the accident in Jasmine Way, Wyke Regis
COUNCIL chiefs met with Weymouth and Portland sports bosses in a bid to review the running of Boscawen pool. It was revealed that although Weymouth and Portland Borough Council are committed to running Boscawen until March 31, it could be up to a year
IT'S rock, Jim, but not as we know it. Terrorvision may be accused of playing party rock, but the feel-good factor has definitely gained them public recognition, and this week sees them hit the South Coast as part of their winter tour. Contrary to popular
YOU know you're a big star (and I mean big) when you go out and buy a new bath and it makes the front page of a national newspaper. That's what happened to Dawn French last week when the Sun, presumably faced with a slow news day, led on the fact that
DORCHESTER traders are fighting plans for a traffic-calming scheme in their neighbourhood. The managers of stores in Maud Road and Clarence Road have collected over 1,000 signatures on a petition opposing the scheme. They say the plans will ruin their
A LOCAL company has put itself firmly in the picture in our Christmas Toy Appeal. Damers Blinds of Southill has donated six cameras and six personal stereos for needy children this festive season. They will go to children who would never ormally expect
CHARTERED accountants from the region have lobbied the government for a reduction in red tape in a bid to help the area's leisure and tourism industries. A delegation from the Southern Society of Chartered Accountants, which represents 4,000 members in
IT'S not the most popular job, but affection was free-flowing when friends gave long-serving traffic warden David Bradshaw a retirement send-off. David, 65 on Christmas Eve, has pounded the streets of Christchurch for 17 years and his easy-going manner
