LICENSING bosses have launched a full investigation after claims that some taxi drivers have been ripping off the public by fiddling their meters. The allegation has been raised with Bournemouth Borough Council in the week a new tariff of fares was introduced
TWO wards remain closed at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital due to the continuing outbreak of a virulent tummy bug. Measures are in place to try and contain the Norovirus, previously known as a Norwalk-type virus, which causes sudden onset of diarrhoea
MOST parents do not want a ban on smacking children despite increasing pressure to make it illegal, it has been revealed. More than 300 charities and voluntary groups have formed the Children Are Unbeatable Alliance in a bid to outlaw legal smacking of
MEMBERS of the public will have two chances this week to express their views over the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals application for foundation status. Meetings have been called on April 14 at 7pm in Christchurch Civic Offices, Bridge Street
FOR a few months around the early summer of 1944, a few fields around Winkton, near Christchurch, found themselves playing a key role in the Allied invasion of Europe. They became a temporary aerodrome and a home to the United States 9th Air Force's 404th
ALONG every road heading into Purbeck warning signs have been put in place by Dorset Police warning visitors and tourists to beware of thieves. It is a bid to drive home the message that valuables should not be left on display in unattended vehicles.
DO you know who is at your door? That is the question police are asking Poole residents as the weather gets warmer and people spend more time outside. Offering to complete work in your house or garden, that may not even need doing, or saying their car
DISABLED visitors to Poole's Tower Park claim they are being treated like second-class citizens after a fairground was erected on their allocated parking area. The arrival of the fun fair has meant that disabled people are now diverted around the back
A FORMER school bus that was run by Dorset County Council in the 1950s was one of the delightful vehicles from yesteryear that took part in a vintage rally from Poole. The compact green bus was bought by its present owner Norman Aisk, of Poole, in 1968
BUS bosses are due to meet police, councillors and residents' representatives on April 13 to discuss how to deal with gangs of Turlin Moor youths who have been harassing Wilts and Dorset drivers. The meeting comes after reports of gangs of up to 20 youngsters
WIMBORNE Town skipper Darren Powell proved his side's hero before so nearly turning into the villain in a controversial Bank Holiday derby at New Grove Corner. The Magpies captain drove home two penalties to keep his side in with a shout at the Wessex
THE New Forest Wessex League derby between Lymington and New Milton and Brockenhurst ended up becoming the exact reverse of their opposite fixture this season, with the Linnets coming out on top in a 2-1 success. With Lymington still aiming for a top
THE New Forest Wessex League derby between Lymington and New Milton and Brockenhurst ended up becoming the exact reverse of their opposite fixture this season, with the Linnets coming out on top in a 2-1 success. With Lymington still aiming for a top
BUOYANT Dorchester blasted six goals in their fourth successive win yesterday to move within two points of an automatic Conference place. But after his men demolished Chippenham at Hardenhuish Park with a hat-trick from Matt Groves and another brace from
FIFTEEN-year-old Sam Clark, who scored his first ever Dorset Premier League goal in Dorchester United's 3-2 win at Sturminster Newton, keeps his place in the side to visit Cobham Sports tonight (6.30pm). Teenage keeper Karl Hicks takes over in goal again
CHIPPENHAM TOWN 1 DOPRCHESTER TOWN 6 Dorchester's dreams of joining neighbours Weymouth in Conference Two next season were given another boost as they handed out six of the best to rivals Chippenham. The Magpies were 4-0 up by half-time and went on to
WEYMOUTH 1 TIVERTON TOWN 1 WEYMOUTH'S Dr Martens Premier Division title hopes were finally ended by Tiverton Town at the Wessex Stadium yesterday. A 1-1 draw against the Devon visitors coupled with a 3-0 victory for Crawley Town at Welling, saw the Sussex
BUSINESS leaders have rallied to condemn the threat of tougher enforcement of the European 48-hour working week. Under the UK's opt-out, workers can currently choose to work longer than 48 hours a week - but action in the European Court of Justice is
KAREN LEGG has been named in Britain's 36-strong swimming team for the Olympic Games - but exactly what her programme will be in Athens may depend on what happens over the next few weeks. Legg, 25, is one of several athletes selected merely as relay swimmers
HEALTH visitor Carol Reece is gearing up for the ride of her life, as she gets ready to cycle hundreds of kilometres along the banks of the River Nile in Egypt for charity. And she'll be in good company, as fertility guru, Professor Robert Winston, presenter
A DORSET Police chief has hit back at claims that late-night troublemakers in Ferndown are being shepherded by officers from a town centre hot-spot to nearby recreation ground. Councillors are furious at the growing increase in weekend vandalism around
THREE years ago documentary photographer Tom Wichelow brought his celebrated start-of-the-millennium project 2000 Portraits to the Forest Arts Centre at New Milton. Now Wichelow is back at New Milton with a new collection of portraits focusing uniquely
PORTLAND'S eight remaining giant fuel tanks at the Mere tank farmcould soon be storing nearly 75,000 tonnes of kerosene and diesel gas oil. Councillors will be asked to back the application at a meeting tomorrow. Members of Weymouth and Portland planning
WEYMOUTH could have a new winter market operating on the Westham Bridge car park. The proposed market, which would run on Thursdays from October 1 until Easter, is due to go before tomorrow's Weymouth and Portland planning and traffic committee. Councillors
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to warn young people in Dorset of the risk of coastal and waterway drownings. Last summer's hot weather saw a high number of drownings nationally, prompting the countrywide initiative by the Environment Agency and the Royal
A TALENTED young singer from the New Forest is set to make her big TV debut this weekend on the national Stars In Their Eyes Kids show. Hannah Evans, 13, from Hordle, will battle it out with five other contestants for a coveted place in the final of the
HOUSE prices in Dorset and the New Forest have seen the slowest growth in the last year, a new survey shows. While property in Wales has soared in value - in some cases by nearly 60 per cent, homes in the south have risen by between three and four percent
HUNT leaders in the New Forest have vowed to fight on amid reports that the government is planning new moves to outlaw the bloodsport. Labour MPs say they have been given a private assurance that legislation banning hunting with hounds will be reintroduced
LIGHTS, camera and action! A taste of silver screen glamour is coming to a North Dorset town after it was chosen as the subject for one of five European-funded film projects. It may be a long way from Hollywood but Sturminster Newton folk can expect to
MEMBERS of the public will have two chances this week to express their views over the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals application for foundation status. Meetings have been called on April 14 at 7pm in Christchurch Civic Offices, Bridge Street
A TEACHING assistant from a secondary school in Christchurch is one of 37 school support staff across the South West to become the first to gain a new qualification elevating their status and effectiveness in the classroom. The Higher Level Teaching Assistant
MIDAS men James Hayter and Derek Holmes again found their goal-scoring touch as Sean O'Driscoll's comeback kings earned a vital point on Bank Holiday Monday (April 12). Hayter and Holmes were both on target in the second half as Cherries came from behind
BOURNEMOUTH'S hospitality industry wants the town's pub and club scene restricted as part of a package of improvements for the resort. Industry representatives met with senior councillors to put forward their vision of Bournemouth's future. Bournemouth
A BOURNEMOUTH man got an unexpected surprise when he opened his father's chest of drawers and discovered what may be one of the oldest surviving newspapers in Bournemouth. Greg Carter from Castle Lane West, only noticed the dog-eared, yellowing 111-year-old
DUDSBURY'S outstanding plus-three golfer Tom Peacock has given the Dorset county team another headache by turning professional on the eve of the new season. He has survived five gruelling rounds to qualify to play on the Europro Tour this summer. His
KAREN LEGG has been named in Britain's 36-strong swimming team for the Olympic Games - but exactly what her programme will be in Athens may depend on what happens over the next few weeks. Legg, 25, is one of several athletes selected merely as relay swimmers
STEVE Claridge hailed Crawley Town after the Sussex side clinched the Dr Martens Premier Division title. Weymouth's 1-1 home draw against Tiverton Town yesterday coupled with a 3-0 win for the leaders at Welling, secured promotion for the Reds. And the
PORTLAND UNITED 1 WIMBORNE TOWN 2 STEWART Kearn denied Portland United a deserved share of the spoils against high-flying Wimborne Town. The former Dorchester goalkeeper kept his side in the race for the Sydenhams Wessex League title with a superb penalty
ENGINEERING company Kenneth Grubb Associates Ltd (KGAL) has won a major contract to help construct a new luxury marina in Phuket, Thailand. The company from St Leonard's Road, Bournemouth will design and oversee the installation of the Royal Phuket Marina's
Haven - All For a Reason (Radiate) Powerful, soulful follow-up to the fragile wonder of Haven's debut, Between the Senses. Alongside other recent melancholy gems from The Stills and The Veils, All For a Reason blends a Doves-like musical confidence with
AS MUCH of a dance show as a musical, Cats demands a high level of physical fitness of its cast, who are called on to leap and prowl around in a suitably feline manner. Well, most of them, that is. James Patterson, playing Old Deuteronomy - the wise old
DORSET'S breathtaking Jurassic Coast has today been nominated as one of Britain's finest natural wonders. Readers of the Radio Times and cable or satellite television viewers of Channel Five will be able to vote for the 95-mile fossil-studded stretch
PLANNERS meet tomorrow to discuss three schemes linked to improvements at Goulds Garden Centre in Weymouth. The company wants to build three five-bedroom homes on land currently used for caravan sales at the site off Littlemoor Road. It also wants to
SO it's official - Bournemouth beach is the best in the UK. If you're reading this (and please, carry on), the chances are you'll already have known that this sumptuous seven-mile stretch of golden sand is something beautiful to behold. It's the Copacabana
A TALENTED young singer from the New Forest is set to make her big TV debut this weekend on the national Stars In Their Eyes Kids show. Hannah Evans, 13, from Hordle, will battle it out with five other contestants for a coveted place in the final of the
BASHLEY'S promotion charge cranked into top gear as they whipped Fleet Town 7-0 to make it a thumping Bank Holiday double over their Hampshire rivals. Richard Gillespie's remarkable five-goal haul secured a 5-1 win at Calthorpe Park on New Year's Day
POOLE Town made hard work of seeing off lowly Petersfield before the ever-reliable Karim Banssaouda popped up with a brace to seal a 3-2 win, reports James Morton. Leigh Cornick levelled for Dolphins after an early effort from the home side, before the
THE Bank Holiday Easter Monday local derby between Christchurch and Bournemouth Poppies resulted in a 2-0 victory for the Hurn Bridge outfit, in what was a close encounter, reports Andy Starmore. Scott Joyce, who has just returned from a holiday, latched
A STIRRING second-half comeback earned 10-man Cherries a potentially-priceless point in their battle to clinch a Division Two play-off place on April 12. Sean O'Driscoll's troops put a poor first-half display behind them to earn a share of the spoils
CHANGES to employment law to help prevent illegal working will be introduced next month, warns Dorset law firm Coles Miller. Section 8 of the Asylum & Immigration Act 1996 already requires all employers in the UK to make basic document checks on every
ONE of the biggest problems facing businesses today is the increasing cost of regulation. This is something which the government appears to recognise and to take seriously. It now requires Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) to be carried out whenever
HOMEOWNERS are paying nearly £200 a year in extra interest because mortgage lenders have failed to pass on the full reduction in base rates, new research reveals. High street bank HSBC said the major mortgage lenders had taken in an extra £1.27 billion
WEYMOUTH guest house owner John Gough was almost blinded when a drunken yob attacked him in his own home. Mr Gough, 58, told today how he was viciously attacked when he helped a young woman. The attacker threw a punch through a pane of glass, sending
TEENAGERS who vandalised 20 cars in Christchurch causing hundreds of pounds damage have been labelled "mindless yobs" by one victim. The attacks on vehicles in Scotts-Hill Lane, Livingstone Road, Moffat Road and Cameron Road in Purewell were carried out
