Ray Ashby from Christchurch once again played an important role in helping the England team win a silver medal during the Home International Boat Championships fished out of Arbroath in Scotland. Ashby scored 118.33 during a tightly fought contest which
PLANNERS have "reluctantly" given permission for a new pub near Bournemouth's Square. But they said the Bourne Avenue pub would have to close at 11pm instead of the 12.30am the applicant wanted. Planning permission had already been granted for a restaurant
WE'VE had the promises - now see the transformation - as Poole's bid to be the St Tropez of the South Coast starts to take shape. From this bird's eye view it's possible to see how Poole Quay's move towards a modern Mediterranean-styled waterside attraction
DORSET Wildlife Trust celebrated its 40th birthday with the opening of a new information centre at Kimmeridge. The idea of a marine education and activity centre was first discussed a decade ago. And after donations from local sponsors, the dream finally
A former Poole Grammar School pupil died just hours after celebrating his A-level results with friends, an inquest has heard. Oliver Johnston, 18, suffered multiple injuries in a head-on crash on the A31 Wimborne by-pass on January 6. His father William
If you are desperate to get to the loo, does it matter if the signs directing you there are in yards or metres? Well it does in Poole, where it is claimed the metric distance signs on Sandbanks prom could be breaking the law. "Whether it's metres or yards
BOURNEMOUTH Sharks youth team kicked off their National Pony League season with a 16-13 victory over Southern Division rivals Tonbridge Bobcats at Corfe Mullen Recreation Ground. The team which is made up of 12-16-year-olds mainly from the Wimborne and
PAUL Durkin today welcomed radical new proposals which, if accepted, could see football referees in England go full-time next season. Top-flight officials could be asked to give up their day jobs in favour of a £30,000-a-year retainer, plus £600 per match
SHOPPERS are coming under attack from high-level yobs in Weymouth's multi-storey car park. In the latest incident mum Pamela Eades, 45, who lives at Beachview Close, Weymouth, had a narrow escape when a gang of youths hurled a can of drink at her, missing
THE Royal Navy's newest ship, HMS Portland, is to make its first visit to the island. The type 23 frigate will be at Portland Harbour for four days from Friday. Students from Westfield Technology College and sea cadets will tour the ship, along with Portland's
VANDALS are launching a concerted series of attacks on Weymouth election posters for South Dorset Tory candidate Ian Bruce. One site has been vandalised for 14 nights in a row while other damage has been reported at sites from Dorchester Road to Plaisters
A HOTELIER accused of trying to torch a rival hotel claimed he was just admiring the brochures when he saw a shadowy figure at the door and hid. Christopher Sydney Hilary Poole, 45, told Dorchester Crown Court he regularly went for a walk late at night
THE landlord of Burton Bradstock's Three Horseshoes pub has applied for a licence in a bid to bring back local entertainment for villagers following the closure of the Dove Inn. Adrian Collis has submitted an application for an annual music and singing
INJURED Hans Andersen flies home to Denmark tomorrow determined to recover from a broken thigh and ride for Pirates once again. The 20-year-old Dane, who broke his right femur in a track spill at Wimborne Road last week, has not put a timescale on his
THIS is the moment that Ace Office Supplies' new £1.7 million storage and distribution centre was officially unveiled. Senior business leaders from across Dorset attended a VIP opening of the centre by Cobham chief executive Gordon Page. Family-run stationery
VETERANS and youngsters turned back the clock to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Royal British Legion in Christchurch. The Legion hall in Bargates was decorated with bunting and nostalgic posters for the annual open day on Saturday and there was
Steve Hemming once again stamped his authority on a Wimborne & District AC evening fixture held on Packhorse lake where he used the method feeder to good effect to temp 4 carp along with a few bits together totalling 23-9 for a clear victory. Steve
The long-awaited Rodman Species Hunt takes place on Friday. Weather permitting this should be a great day. Boats will be loading at Custom House Steps, Poole Quay from 8am and even if you were not lucky enough to get a place this year, it is well worth
Results from local fishing clubs LYMINGTON & DISTRICT SFC. Fish were conspicuous by the absence during a junior measure and return fixture along the White House section at Milford where only 4 of the 17 youngsters manage to land a fish. Tom Hinchcliff
A MASSIVE project to restore Hardy's famous Egdon Heath to its natural glory will be launched next week. The £3.7m restoration scheme for heathland between Wareham and Dorchester is the largest in Britain and will be managed by English Nature. They will
COMMUTERS face up to five weeks of misery on the roads due to gas pipe improvements. Gas engineers Transco are laying 150 metres of replacement pipe along the Dorset/Hampshire border which involves digging up part of the B3081 where it goes under the
IT WAS the ad which put a cobbled North Dorset street firmly on the map. Mention Hovis and hazy images of a cloth-capped young lad pushing his bread-laden bicycle up Gold Hill in Shaftesbury immediately spring to mind. But Hovis has decided it needs a
MORE hazardous and unsightly wrecks have come to the attention of the Daily Echo. This vehicle has been dumped in Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, for at least two weeks. The damaged Vauxhall Astra is on zigzag lines next to a pedestrian crossing outside
FORGET Glastonbury - North Dorset could soon be where it's at. The first three-day rock festival in August will showcase the bands of the future. Blandford youth worker and organiser Paul Williams said up-and-coming youth bands would be performing. The
If you are desperate to get to the loo, does it matter if the signs directing you there are in yards or metres? Well it does in Poole, where it is claimed the metric distance signs on Sandbanks prom could be breaking the law. "Whether it's metres or yards
DORSET Wildlife Trust celebrated its 40th birthday with the opening of a new information centre at Kimmeridge. The idea of a marine education and activity centre was first discussed a decade ago. And after donations from local sponsors, the dream finally
A MASSIVE project to restore Hardy's famous Egdon Heath to its natural glory will be launched next week. The £3.7m restoration scheme for heathland between Wareham and Dorchester is the largest in Britain and will be managed by English Nature. They will
KEVIN Spurgeon made his forth consecutive cut on the Euro Pro Tour, but was left to rue a succession of missed chances as he finished tied for 37th place. Spurgeon squeezed into the final round after carding three-over-par 75s at the impressive Parasampia
DORSET Over 50s opened their campaign in the English County Cricket Board 50-plus County Competition with a resounding 87-run victory over the Channel Islands. Played at the picturesque Grainville Ground in Jersey, Dorset lost the toss and were put in
DORSET'S Sian Roberts showed star quality in reaching the closing stages of one of Europe's most prestigious and unusual junior tournaments. Roberts was among 70 of the best 13 and under players from across the UK and Europe who battled it out in the
WE'VE had the promises - now see the transformation - as Poole's bid to be the St Tropez of the South Coast starts to take shape. From this bird's eye view it's possible to see how Poole Quay's move towards a modern Mediterranean-styled waterside attraction
DORSET have named five new faces in the team for Saturday's Middleton Cup opener against Wiltshire at Wootton Bassett (2pm). Harry Hovenden, who has played in the competition for Suffolk, and Roy Burnett from Gloucestershire will bring experience to the
ENGLAND Under-21 coach Howard Wilkinson stressed the need for players to keep their discipline after skipper John Terry of Chelsea and Luke Young of Spurs were sent off in the European Championship qualifier in Greece. Both will now miss the vital clash
AARON Lowey has capped his whirlwind start to the new season by earning a call-up into the England squad for a junior international against Poland next month. The Poole/Sea View Coaches star caught the eye of the selectors after winning the first three
A SATURDAY Sports Club in Weymouth has launched its 14th year with a full programme of games coaching for youngsters between five and 12-years-old. Athletics, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, mini-rugby, rounders and mini-tennis are all among the
DIVISION ONE Dorchester Casuals 119-4 (Sid Cavallaro 60 no, Matthew Charmers 18, Phil Hutchins 2-34) bt Abbotsbury 97-6 (J Hutchins 20, Dave Leach 17, Sean Walbridge 4-22). DORCHESTER Casuals could only muster a modest total, with Sid Cavallaro unbeaten
MORE than 400 Cherries fans have already renewed their season tickets as the clock ticks towards Friday's closing date for existing holders to guarantee their seats for the new campaign. Approximately one-third of last season's 1,300 ticket holders renewed
THE first of a three-pronged strategic list of improvements for a Dorset school has been carried out. Emmanuel Middle School in Verwood took delivery of its new minibus - the first time the school has had a vehicle of its own. Headteacher Grahame Webb
MORE areas of countryside reopened in the New Forest over the weekend. Hampshire County Council reopened the Martin Down National Nature Reserve, near Fordingbridge, and the Lymington to Keyhaven Nature Reserve - both areas were closed in the wake of
WEYMOUTH has scooped a television publicity bonanza with a visit from the new Blue Peter Summer Roadshow which will go out live to three million viewers. It will be the first time in Blue Peter's 42-year history that the top children's programme has organised
COUNCIL chiefs have unveiled a £3.2million development scheme to provide more affordable homes in West Dorset. A total of 48 new homes are to be provided in the next year, with an additional 128 already under construction. Of the new houses, 30 will be
A VILLAGER living near Dorchester has begun a one-man campaign to stop speeding motorists putting lives at risk. Roger Slade, who lives in Stratton, has put a notice through every letter-box in the village in a bid to persuade drivers to slow their speed
THE final concert of the current Poole Jazz Club season tomorrow will feature a performance by the Bournemouth Jazz Orchestra. The evening, one of the final events before Poole Arts Centre temporarily closes for its multi-million pound make-over, will
A HOTELIER accused of trying to torch a rival hotel claimed he was just admiring the brochures when he saw a shadowy figure at the door and hid. Christopher Sydney Hilary Poole, 45, told Dorchester Crown Court he regularly went for a walk late at night
CAMPAIGNERS are to learn the fate of plans for a new £1.5 million arts centre in Dorchester after the General Election. Staff at the town's arts centre were due to hear in late May if a bid for Arts Council cash to fund a new complex at Poundbury had
A PAVEMENT laid for the disabled has been ripped up and left in a disgraceful condition, a councillor claimed today. Brian Ellis has criticised the condition of the special surface pavement next to the busy Preston Road in Weymouth - which was torn apart
PRINCE Charles' villagers have produced a historic volume of photographs. The precious archives, which show more than 140 families and their pets at their homes and views of the streets in Poundbury, Dorchester, have been handed over to the Dorset Records
THOUSANDS of services veterans are expected to march into Weymouth for this year's military and veterans' festival. Preparations are now underway for the week-long annual festival, which will be held between Saturday, June 16 and Friday, June 22. The
CLERICAL ERRORS, Victoria Players, Victoria Rooms, Fordingbridge NEVER having come across this play before, I expected it to be a gentle, undemanding comedy rather than the superb modern-day parable, albeit a highly amusing one, that it proved to be.
IT WAS the ad which put a cobbled North Dorset street firmly on the map. Mention Hovis and hazy images of a cloth-capped young lad pushing his bread-laden bicycle up Gold Hill in Shaftesbury immediately spring to mind. But Hovis has decided it needs a
FORGET Glastonbury - North Dorset could soon be where it's at. The first three-day rock festival in August will showcase the bands of the future. Blandford youth worker and organiser Paul Williams said up-and-coming youth bands would be performing. The
FIFTEEN people have lost their jobs in a company reorganisation. The shocked employees learned their fate when Hobbs of Blandford called them to a meeting at its warehouse in the Sunrise Business Park. Managing director Colin Eccleshall said the rationalisation
PIRATES are still hoping to sign a replacement for injured Hans Andersen but it will not happen in time for their target to ride against Wolverhampton at Wimborne Road tonight (7.30pm). Poole Gas Appliance Superstore co-promoter Matt Ford would not reveal
RETAIL giant Kingfisher has called off talks to sell its two Woolworths and Superdrug chains. The group - which owns Hampshire-based B&Q - will instead demerge Woolworths and Superdrug and its entertainment businesses into a separately listed general
FASHION chain New Look reported a slump in profits for the last year after suffering poor like-for-like sales in its stores. Dorset-based New Look said profits for the year to March 24 dived to £30.6 million, down from £46.7 million the previous year.
BOURNEMOUTH AC were pipped for first place by Southern Men's League Division One rivals Herne Hill Harriers in their second match of the season at Eton on Saturday. But despite going down by just five-and-a-half points, the highlight for BAC was a convincing
