Kate Winslet has the starring role in the new blockbuster Enigma - and it is exactly the word that seems to describe her at the moment. Until recently, her image was one of a down-to-earth actress who was very different from the usual Hollywood star.
HISTORICAL fact has never been a priority for Hollywood film-makers, especially when it gets in the way of gratuitous American flag-waving. Cast your mind back to the submarine action-thriller U-571. Jonathan Mostow's film had the audacity to suggest
IT was not until the Uffa Fox-designed Flying Fifteen class was almost 50 years old that the beginnings of a fleet emerged at Parkstone YC. But the original seven boats have grown to 20 since that first 1996 season and most of them were in action last
THE Echo has teamed up with Sainsbury's to offer readers the chance to bid for a whole host of the supermarket's goodies. Don't miss the Daily Echo six days a week for your chance to join this great give-away auc-tion. Below is a list of the latest bidders
Gerry Brown's Mission Hall Jazz Band (Excise House, Weymouth): The return of one of the country's top New Orleans-style jazz outfits. Version 2:0 (Dorothy Inn, The Esplanade, Weymouth). Willie Nininger (Three Horseshoes, Burton Bradstock): Blues at the
Red Rooster (King's Arms, High East Street, Dorchester): Guitar-driven blues and the occasional tribute to Portland from Mike and company. Jam On It (Excise House, Hope Square, Brewer's Quay, Weymouth): It's the weekly jam session-cum-variety show, with
NOW, if I was Tim Rose (Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, Thursday, October 4, 7.30pm, £7 adv/£8 on the door, tickets on (01297) 442394), I don't think I'd do anything anymore except sit around and drop names, and let people buy me drinks. Yes, it's fairly
PARENTS in Poole are being offered the opportunity to find out about children's facilities in the town. On Sunday members of Poole council's children's information service will be at Mothercare in Falkland Square. They will be on hand to discuss everything
Makershift striker Carl Woodwood found the net as injury-ravaged Bournemouth Poppies won their first game for a month as they beat Peterfield 1-0 in the second round of the Russell Cotes Cup. The left-sided utility man hit a 75th minute winner as Poppies
GOLF'S most famous team trophy may not now be up for grabs until next year - but a commemorative match to mark the Ryder Cup connections of two clubs was staged as planned. Came Down hosted a visit from members of the Verulam Golf Club from St Albans
AN INJURY-time goal by teenager Dan Evans gave Weymouth Reserves victory at Downton last night. But don't let the scoreline fool you into thinking that it was an evenly contested encounter at Wick Lane. Fact is the youthful Terras played their experienced
BIG smiles were on the timetable for Ferndown Upper School students as part of a confidence-boosting initiative. The school's No Put Down Week encouraged pupils not to put anyone down, as research has shown negative comments can undermine self-esteem.
BIG-HEARTED Weightwatchers in Wimborne have given up their pounds to boost the town's hospital appeal. Around 60 members of the group's Thursday club raised a total of £1021 through weekly raffles. Club leader Rosemary Prince handed over the money to
The Erruption from Vegas, Bradford Peverell village hall The Water Carriers, Poole Arts Centre The Highland Spirit, Windsor Hall, BIC
Oliver! Weymouth Pavilion Original Rags, St Peter's West Knighton BSO Wind Ensemble, Ansty A Real Audience with Brian Conley, Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth The Mikado, Regent Centre, Christchurch
WEYMOUTH and Portland Borough Council is set to peg the majority of its car parking charges next year. The council, which has often come under fire from motorists for its high charges, is recommending there should be no general increase to pay and display
CIVIC leaders have criticised a national survey which claims that the quality of life in Weymouth and Portland is poor. Information company Experian only rates the borough 277th out of 376 local authority areas, way lower than 13th-placed North Dorset
NORTHERN IRELAND Under-21 manager Roy Millar has included Cherries' in-form striker Warren Feeney in his squad for their final European Championship qualifier against Malta. He also handed a first call-up to Portsmouth goalkeeper Chris Tardif. Guernsey-born
PORTLAND United cruised into the next round of the FA Carlsberg Vase with a comfortable second qualifying replay victory over Amesbury Town at the Recreation Ground last night. Goals in each half by Richard Sparshott and Nigel Evans did the damage for
Imperfect Eden, Dormers Hotel, Wimborne The Water Carriers, Poole Arts Centre The Ultimate 60s Show, Pavilion Theatre, Bournenouth Jazz Club, Poole Arts Centre
Jamie Oliver - The Happy Days Tour, Windsor Hall, BIC Jack Bruce, Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth
Stephen de Pledge, Wey Valley School Don Lusher Big Band, Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth
THE new season of performances hosted by Weymouth Music Club kicks off this Sunday with a recital by pianist Stephen de Pledge at Wey Valley School. Stephen, from New Zealand, has played for the club in previous seasons and is currently based in London
CHEEKY chappie chef Jamie Oliver is just one of a host of tasty big names coming to set the stage alight in Bournemouth over the coming weeks. The Naked Chef, who is as renowned for his quick-fire banter and easy-going laddish charm as he is for his superb
A STUNNING few days of entertainment have been lined up by Artsreach, whose aim is to bring a broad and varied selection of arts events to villages and rural communities across Dorset. Tonight sees renowned theatre group Forest Forge return to the Drax
THE family of a young Weymouth soldier killed in a car accident have today paid tribute to his determination and bravery. Private Oliver Ellwood, 23, a member of the Parachute Regiment for three years with service in Sierra Leonne and Northern Ireland
WEYMOUTH and Portland Borough Council has apologised for failing to take action over dog mess in a popular park. It was claimed children's health was being put at risk by overflowing bins containing mess in the gardens along Radipole Park Drive. Sarah
DORCHESTER waitress Gemma Coomber has been offered the chance to work on the wild side on a conservation project in Africa. Gemma, 20, from Culliford Road, went through fitness tests with flying colours to be offered the place on a three-month trip, teaching
THE smallest school in Dorset has been praised by Ofsted inspectors. The standards in Marshwood School have been rising faster than national trends because of effective teaching of basic skills and very good leadership and management by the headteacher
INCREASING numbers of companies across the area could be facing hidden charges and losing valuable assets because they are outsourcing work without first copyrighting it, warn solicitors. Firms which subcontract work to design agencies without proper
A.I. (12, 146 mins): A robot boy called David (Haley Joel Osment), adopted and then abandoned by human parents (Sam Robards, Frances O'Connor)aims to transform himself into a real boy. Along the way, he meets pleasure-seeking robot Gigolo Joe (Jude Law
MASTER burglar Nick Wells (Robert De Niro) is preparing to retire from a life of crime and wants to settle down with girlfriend Diane (Angela Bassett). When best friend Max Baron (Marlon Brando) offers Nick the chance of one final score, he initially
IT maybe only a small prep school, with some 110 pupils, but The Old Malthouse, at Langton Matravers, in the Purbecks, thinks big when it comes to sailing. And so do the parents who donated a generous £13,000 at an auction of promises last term, enough
FED UP residents who expected "resounding refusal" of a scheme to build more than 1,300 homes in their community were hit by a double whammy last night. Councillors recommended approval of a scheme for 1,350 new homes at traffic choked Holton Heath -
A PURBECK man has told of a terrifying encounter with evil killer Fred West years before his crimes ever came to light. Derek Jones, from Langton Matravers, is the man behind a controversial new TV series about Fred and Rose West. He was walking home
FED UP residents who expected "resounding refusal" of a scheme to build more than 1,300 homes in their community have been hit by a double whammy. Councillors recommended approval of a scheme for 1,350 new homes at traffic choked Holton Heath - at the
The Crack (Rendezvous, Town Bridge, Weymouth). Karl Weber (No. 10 Caf Bar, East Street, Bridport): Acoustic blues from Karl in this cosy and intimate new venue. Rob Koral & Sue Hawker (Boot Inn, High Street, Weymouth). Bodgit & Blaggit (Old Ship
Trouble In Mind (Three Horseshoes, Burton Bradstock): Highest-quality jazzy, rocky blues from this trio. Eddie Hintze (RAOB Club, Weymouth): This is Eddie's last Monday night slot here, as winter draws on.
Driving Sideways (Finn M'Coul's, Weymouth): Funky, urban blues from 7pm. Fuzzy Felt (The Anchor, Weymouth): Contemporary pop and rock covers from this female-fronted band. Howling at the Moon (Old George, Trinity Street, Weymouth): This is the Howler's
Top Topham/ The Voodoo Vendors (Barrelhouse Blues Club, Royal British Legion Club, Bath Road, Sturminster Newton): Top Topham was the original Yardbirds guitarist, a post he vacated for Eric Clapton, who passed it on to Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page in turn
Torn Apart (Mariner's, Maiden Street, Weymouth): Rock covers from this band. Purple Haze (Finn M'Coul's, Westham Road, Weymouth): This is one of the more highly-rated Hendrix tribute acts, featuring a guitarist who's actually black and left-handed! £3
Don't laugh, but it rained here on Friday morning. Apparently, it was the first rain in Tenerife since last November. Charming! It was very warm rain, mind you, and must have fallen steadily for about three hours. As soon as a chink appeared in the clouds
Oliver! Weymouth Pavilion The Mikado, Regent Centre, Christchurch The Best of Joyce Grenfell, Chetnole village hall
Oliver! Weymouth Pavilion Silks, Spices and Spirits, Drax Hall, Bere Regis The Mikado, Regent Centre, Christchurch
NEXT Thursday is national Poetry Day and in celebration, local bard RG Gregory will be holding a reading of his poem Imperfect Eden - which 'has done for Southampton what Wordsworth did for the Lake District'. The epic poem, which stretches to 1,500 verses
A SPELL-BINDING tale of survival in and around an African village that is struggling to cope after its life-giving river has dried up, is danced into being in The Water Carriers at Poole Arts Centre next week. The 'dazzling and emotional' show describes
MUSIC and words will be brought together at Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum in an evening of new text-music performance. The explosive new project Demo/text happens on Saturday, October 6, at 7.30pm. It will fuse music and words together using improvisation
A MAN called police and said he was armed with a shotgun and heading for Bridport town centre. Armed officers rushed to the town's St Swithins area yesterday afternoon after tracing the man through a series of mobile phone calls. The officers challenged
A PORTLAND community centre has been saved from closure after landing more than £141,000 in lottery cash today. Staff at the Portland Centre in Fortuneswell feared they would be forced to shut down the advice and information service at Christmas because
A WEYMOUTH fish and chip shop hopes to batter its rivals when it aims for a place in the finals of the fish and chip shop of the year competition. Fish 'N' Fritz is one of three shops to reach the South West regional finals. The shop in Market Street
TRADERS who feared a Dorset business park would be shut down for the day due to works by Southern Electric have won a reprieve, thanks to the Dorset Echo. Furious businessmen said they stood to lose thousands of pounds after the electricity company announced
A MAN called police and said he was armed with a shotgun and heading for Bridport town centre. Armed officers rushed to the town's St Swithins area yesterday afternoon after tracing the man through a series of mobile phone calls. The officers challenged
PLANS to close Bridport's South Street for a six-week trial period next summer have been abandoned by town councillors. The U-turn comes after shopkeepers slammed the proposal - claiming it could put them out of business. Traders hit out during the town
BRIDPORT'S smelly new sewage works are still clogging up the air with foul odours in the southern part of town. Coun Phil Lathey said the smell from the Burton Road site was "horrendous" this week and at the weekend. "They promised it would be sorted
BROCK new boy Jimmy Anderson pulled on a Badgers shirt for the first time as they beat local rivals Eastleigh 3-1 at Grigg lane. Striker Alex Rossi got Chris Collinge's side off to the perfect start when he volleyed home from 18 yards after half an hour
CHATTY youngsters at a Christchurch school found it was good to talk during a dramatic day organised by British Telecom. The company chose St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, in Somerford, to take part in its education roadshow currently touring the
