Archive

  • Goodbye, Mr chips?

    CAN Britain's favourite kitchen wizard, Jamie Oliver, work his magic on the nation's youth and turn chips and burgers into fruit and veg on the school menu? The former Naked Chef is putting on his school apron and trying to transform school dinners as

  • It's a sight to put a spring in your step

    HERE'S a spectacle to lift the heart... a tree in glorious blossom proclaiming that winter is coming to an end. The tree takes pride of place in the car park of the Crown Hotel at Blandford. But what makes it unusual is that it's presenting such an eye-catching

  • On the 'tracks' of a ghostly army

    NOT all visitors to Bovington Tank Museum have bought an admission ticket. Museum chiefs are bringing in a team of paranormal researchers to investigate reports of ghosts seen inside the museum building. Researchers with Paranormal Tours, a company specialising

  • Bistro hit by blaze

    FIREFIGHTERS piled in with sledgehammers to smash their way into a blazing building in Poole's historic old town, near Poole Quay, on Tuesday night. And their quick action prevented the fire spreading to two of the town's famous museums only feet away

  • Get on the ref's back - Morris

    DORCHESTER manager Mark Morris is calling on Avenue Stadium fans to be 'less polite' and put more vocal pressure on referees. He reckons more vital decisions would go in the Magpies favour if their supporters made their voices heard when officials give

  • STATIC INFLATION SPARKS INTEREST RATE RISE FEAR

    INFLATION stayed on hold in January as falling fuel prices eclipsed higher food costs - sparking further speculation over interest rates. Falling fuel costs offset price rises sparked by shortages of fruit and vegetables in January, keeping the Consumer

  • Chancellor joins Prince on tour of Poundbury

    THE Prince of Wales was due in Dorchester today less than a week after he announced his engagement to Camilla Parker Bowles. Prince Charles, who will tie the knot with his long-term companion on April 8, was due to be joined by Chancellor of the Exchequer

  • Don't let them ruin our heritage coast

    CAMPAIGNERS are gearing up to fight a developer over plans to build 'millionaire mansions' overlooking a popular Weymouth beach. They claim the houses would spoil the coastline at Castle Cove and are urging people to speak out against the proposal at

  • Tory high-flyer does an 'Ollie'

    MP OLIVER Letwin took to the boards to open a new skate park. The Shadow Chancellor was in Maiden Newton to open the facility, built in the ruins of the village's old swimming pool. Around 20 young skaters and more than 50 adults saw a professional display

  • Charity for the elderly is seeking volunteers

    A CHARITY for the elderly needs volunteers after an explosion of new projects. Age Concern Weymouth and Portland co-ordinator Sylvia Carpenter needs help with a range of events from the group's 'Big Knit' to help with lunch clubs and offering support

  • Man tells of his battle to cope with life in village

    A MAN with mental health problems told a conference on rural isolation he felt trapped in his village. Richard Peacocke, from Crossways, near Dorchester, told delegates at the Rural Isolation and Mental Health in Dorset conference about the difficulties

  • Inquiry threat over factory site project

    FUTURE development of a former factory site in Lymington could be decided by a planning inspector after New Forest district councillors deferred making a decision. Paxton Holdings Ltd want to build more than 300 apartments, a 100-bedroom hotel and a restaurant

  • Title taken away after U-turn

    CHERRIES have had their Youth Alliance crown snatched away from them after a hasty climb-down by the Football League. Joe Roach's under-18s were informed they had taken top spot in the South West Conference after the League originally declared Swindon's

  • Neighbours from hell clampdown too late for Tim

    JUST days after New Forest jazz musician Tim Colwell's killers were brought to justice, the government has announced a crackdown on neighbours from hell. New measures designed to rehabilitate Britain's worst families will bring little comfort to Mr Colwell's

  • YOU'RE IDIOTS!

    A BUS driver escaped serious injury when youths hurled missiles from a footbridge above him, shattering the double-decker's front window as it travelled along a busy dual carriageway. Yellow Buses' supervisor Damian Robson was driving along the Wessex

  • Culture of blame fails to put stop to school outings

    THE rise in "blame culture" has not stopped Dorset schools from taking their pupils on out-of-school trips. The NASUWT, the country's second largest teachers' union, has called for a boycott on school excursions amid fears that members could be sued over

  • Council unveils plan for leisure complex

    A NEW scheme has been drawn up to revive Boscombe seafront after earlier plans were dealt a major setback by a government minister. Bournemouth council had to go back to the drawing board after its multi-million pound designs were derailed by a decision

  • Staff threatened in McDonald's hold-up

    A GUN-wielding robber forced McDonald's staff to hand over cash during the second hold-up of a Poole restaurant in a week. The robber threatened two male members of staff during yesterday's early morning raid on the fast food restaurant at the Wessex

  • Cyclist died in freak lamppost accident

    A CYCLIST died in a "one-in-a-million" accident after being hit by a falling lamppost, an inquest has heard. Holidaymaker Martin Waldron suffered massive head and spinal injuries in the freak accident, which happened after two cars collided on Shore Road

  • U's dent play -off hopes

    CHERRIES' play-off hopes took another dent as struggling Colchester United secured their first League One double of the season at Layer Road on February 15. The U's, 3-1 winners at Dean Court in September, repeated the scoreline in front of a sparse home

  • Clark's bid blown away at wind-swept Canford

    MATTHEW Clark was under-17 runner-up at the end of Poole Runners' first season in the Hampshire Cross-Country League. Try as he might, the highly-promising Swanage youngster could not match his rival joint leader Steve Blake in the final race at a wind-swept

  • PHILLIPS REJECTS SHOTS MOVE

    TERRAS striker Lee Phillips has rejected a move to Aldershot Town. Weymouth boss Steve Johnson yesterday accepted an undisclosed 'nominal' fee from the Conference National side for the 24yearold frontman. But the deal was called off after the former Plymouth

  • Waste plant protesters plan march

    MORE than 150 people packed into a public meeting to voice concerns over proposals for a new waste treatment facility. The meeting at Ferndown Village Hall was the first step towards co-ordinating a protest movement against plans for the plant at Blunts

  • ANY TAKERS?

    A WORLD heritage coast centre and multi-storey car park may be built in a major revamp of the Weymouth Pavilion site. Agents for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council are formally seeking a development partner for the site - including the Pavilion, ferry

  • Musicians present £20,000 to appeal

    MUSICIANS have handed over nearly £20,000 to the tsunami appeal after hosting an all-day concert in Weymouth. Weysia committee members presented a cheque to the Disasters Emergency Committee from ticket sales at the Weymouth Pavilion music festival, donations

  • Mum warns of hazardous hill after pet tragedy

    A FAMILY day trip turned into tragedy when a pet dog died after plunging down a steep hill near cliffs. Sara Jenkins has called for warning signs to be erected after Monty, a four-year-old greyhound, fell into a concealed 25ft dip near East Cliff at West

  • Les just getting into his stride

    LES PHILLIPS has clocked up 40 years' service to Dorchester - and there's no sign of his slowing down. The town's elder statesman says at only 72, there's plenty of life left in him yet. "I don't think there's any chance of me stopping. The next few years

  • Hunting ban will end 900-year-old tradition

    HUNTING in the New Forest will end after more than 900 years when the Hunting Act comes into force on February 18. Members of New Forest Hounds will continue to pursue foxes with hounds to the bitter end with meets today at Bolton's Bench, Lyndhurst;

  • Tory 'suicide note' budget condemned

    NORTH Dorset's Liberal Democrats have slated their opponents' proposals for a 24 per cent council tax increase, calling the budget "a suicide note". They say it threatens the district's leisure centres, public lavatories and vital rural bus routes. The

  • Brock thumped by slick City

    BROCKENHURST felt the sharp end of a Winchester City side returning to form as they were thumped 4-0 at Grigg Lane. Alan Wright and Dave Midgley missed early chances for the Badgers before Ian Mancey put City ahead 21 minutes in. Shaun Dyke added a penalty

  • Priory halt Linnets' surge

    CHRISTCHURCH put the brakes on Lymington and New Milton's Wessex One title challenge as they held the championship chasers to a goalless draw at Hurn Bridge. Linnets, who slipped out of the FA Vase to Bury Town in extra-time on Saturday, showed little

  • FIFTH TIME UNLUCKY

    CHERRIES sacrificed the lead for the fifth time this year as their play-off push stalled again at Colchester United. Warren Cummings fired Sean O'Driscoll's side ahead just after half-time before the U's hit back through Gavin Johnson, Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu

  • Dining out with baby's no picnic

    I SAW a film the other day - a rather engaging romantic comedy - and it ended like this: The main characters, all their troubles behind them, walk into an elegant-looking restaurant. And we see that their happiness is multiplied because they've been joined