TWO women were told they were lucky to escape jail after defrauding the Benefits Agency of thousands of pounds. Helena Green, of Carlton Road, Bournemouth, was sentenced to 200 hours of community services for defrauding the Department of Work and Pensions
WILL Kendall carried his bat as Hampshire slumped to their first championship defeat at the Rose Bowl and admitted: "That was a wake up call for us." The Hampshire vice captain was unbeaten on 24 when play began on the final day. But when Alan Mullally
UNSEEDED Miles Maclagan saw off fifth seed, Cambridgeshire's Justin Layne, to clinch the LTA British Tour title at West Hants, reports Karenza Morton. Layne, who beat Dorset's David Sanger in the quarter-finals, could not overcome the highly-rated Scotsman
Bridport 0 Bishop Sutton 1 ANOTHER off-colour performance from Bridport means their fight for Screwfix Direct Premier Division survival will go to the wire. The Bees are almost safe thanks to other results but they may yet need something from their final
PAUL Sims' four-goal haul hammered the final nail in Swans' relegation coffin after basement boys Hamble pulled off a last day miracle to escape the drop. One place and two points above the drop zone before Saturday, a loss or a draw for Hamble at home
CHRISTCHURCH put an end to their eight-match losing streak as Lamin Dibba netted twice for Priory to finish their campaign on a winning note. Dibba handed the Hurn Bridgers a half-time lead, converting Ben Finnigan's cross on the half-hour. But Harlequins
STEVE Tate missed a penalty as Linnets slipped to their second defeat in three games to finish their season in fifth. Despite an equal opening 15 minutes, Stuart Hensman fired the hosts ahead after Jimmy Sheppard had only half cleared a Gosport corner
GRIEVING relatives could find themselves burying their loved ones just yards away from noisy and abusive soccer playing youths. That was the warning from protesters fighting plans for a new play area on land adjoining Bridport cemetery last week. But
BUS wars could return to Weymouth after a new company announced plans to operate a service between Portland and Dorchester. Sureline, which would run its buses in opposition to existing services run by First, said it could create more than 20 jobs from
DORCHESTER residents have left the Queen just five messages of congratulations - almost two weeks after special jubilee books were left in council offices. Red-faced councillors, who have so far failed to sign the books, urged town residents to make sure
A SPOT of bareback horse riding has got offers of modelling rolling in for West Dorset's own Lady Godiva. But Camilla Jackson, 23, has turned them all down flat - including an offer of work as a Page Three model in The Sun. Miss Jackson, of Little Bredy
A SCHEME to use land at a Weymouth holiday park for siting static holiday caravans is being opposed by planners. Waterside Holiday Park at Bowleaze Coveway wants to change the use of a field laid out on the north eastern side of the site for touring pitches
YOUNG scientists from Dorchester got to grips with gravity to win plaudits in the national Physics Challenge competition. A quartet of aspiring Einsteins from the Thomas Hardye School picked up prizes in the annual contest and nine more were awarded commendation
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to get a fair funding deal for Dorset. South Dorset MP Jim Knight is taking a 1,000-plus name petition to Parliament in a bid to get a better settlement for local authorities. The move signifies an important step in the campaign
DORCHESTER town centre came to a standstill as Goulds department store celebrated its 100th birthday. Crowds lined South Street as the carnival band and town crier Alistair Chisholm led a parade from County Hall. Directors Roger Gould, brother Phillip
HOPES are high the long-awaited pub in Poundbury near Dorchester will open next month. Construction work by Morrish Builders on the Poet Laureate, named in recognition of Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, is complete and the prospective landlord plans to open
IF laughter is the best medicine, then Chideock Players are superb physicians. Their production of 'Allo 'Allo at the village hall last week was nothing short of a hilarious triumph for all. The audience rumbled with mirth from the start, pausing only
ELLIS Jones Solicitors are poised to recruit more staff to help handle their increasing workload in commercial law. At least one-third of the firm's work is now in the commercial sector - "it has grown steadily throughout the 90s," said business development
TRAVELLERS have moved onto a council car park in Boscombe and local hoteliers say they should be moved on. Furious Boscombe hoteliers say they will lose trade unless the six caravans are moved from the Overstrand car park at Honeycombe Chine. The small
DORSET'S Lee James no longer leads the Challenge Tour order of merit after failing to make the halfway cut in the Tessali Open del Sud in Southern Italy. James, who won the Tour's first event of the season in Kenya, carded rounds of 75 and 72 to miss
BASHLEY were denied their fifth home win on the bounce as Jamie Barker swooped two minutes from time to rob Barry Blankley's side of a deserved three points. Unbeaten at Bashley Road since January 5, the New Foresters could have taken a 3-0 lead into
WIMBORNE joint caretaker boss Tony White hailed Hamble's desire after the Planemakers grabbed two goals in the last two minutes to beat the odds and secure their Wessex League status. Despite having the majority of first-half possession, Wimborne slipped
VERWOOD boss Terry Richens was left bemoaning the fact that Town threw away a 1-0 advantage in the last 10 minutes against Hampshire Division One opponents Fareham Sacred Hearts. The hosts dominated the opening 45 minutes but could not capitalise on their
BOURNEMOUTH star Steve Bendall took a giant step towards securing a world title fight when he was crowned IBO Inter-Continental champion at the weekend. Bendall, who lives in Westbourne, maintained his unbeaten middleweight record when he stopped Vicktor
BOURNEMOUTH boxer Steve Bendall is now the holder of two inter-continental titles after taking his unbeaten record to 16 fights with a 10th-round stoppage of Ukranian Vicktor Fesechco in front of 2,000 fans in Coventry on Friday night. Bendall, 28, added
FEARS over loss of privacy have failed to halt plans for Bridport's crime busting CCTV network. Councillors approved the siting of nine "eye in the sky" surveillance units around the town, despite concerns that some could look directly into people's bedrooms
TONIGHT'S Elite League meeting against Belle Vue Aces has been postponed due to a waterlogged track. Aces promoter John Perrin explained: "There is a problem with the drains and the track and pits are flooded." He added: "Even if we had two days of sunshine
PIRATES second string Bjarne Pedersen has admitted he would like to stay at the Elite League club next season - less than two months into the current campaign. The young Dane has been a revelation since he joined Poole Meridian Lifts on loan from Prem-ier
DORSET politicians have slated central government for going off at half-cock to fulfil yet another European directive. East Dorset District Council is hoping to run a trial of organic waste recycling in a bid to meet new targets to cut down on landfill
ELECTION candidate Tim Munro is hoping for a big break into local politics. The teacher trainer is determined to stand in the upcoming Weymouth and Portland Borough Council elections - despite having broken an ankle while out canvassing for votes. Tim
A PUPPET-MAKER from Weymouth has designs on a Hollywood contract - with no strings attached. Creative Cathy Owen, 31, was commissioned by a Devon author to bring 16 children's characters to life after he spotted her talent for textiles on the internet
ACTION over neighbours from hell is to come under the spotlight at a meeting of councillors and housing association staff. Councillors will quiz officers from Magna Housing Association about noise nuisance and accommodation concerns on Monday at Dorchester
FUNDRAISING Mark Stimpson had a 40th birthday party with a difference - he didn't get a single present. But his friends and family helped raise more than £250 for charity after he asked them to donate cash instead of buying him gifts. The money will go
PORTESHAM youngsters will receive an education fit for the 21st century if planning chiefs give the nod to a £350,000 revamp of school buildings. This week, Portesham Primary School will unveil ambitious plans for a restructure to reduce the two sites
WHERE did it all go wrong? It's the question every Cherries fan is asking after a season which promised so much delivered so little. In the space of 12 months, Sean O'Driscoll's side has gone from being within touching distance of winning promotion to
