A DISTRAUGHT Dorset family is coming to terms with the news that their daughter is feared dead following the Asian tsunami disaster. Clare Jackson, 25, was separated from her boyfriend Alex Hill after the tidal wave swept through their Sri Lankan villa
2005 was just three minutes old when the first baby of the New Year was born at Poole hospital. Sales consultant Lucy Way, 22, from Charminster, Bournemouth, was thrilled when her little daughter Sophie entered the world at three minutes past midnight
AN ARTIST will play a key role in the long-awaited redevelopment of Durlston Castle as a gateway to the Jurassic coast. Lulu Quinn recently designed a gateway for a public park in Gateshead which featured the voices of local children. Martin Cooke, the
ACTRESS Bethany Webb expected to do commercials and theatre work when she left drama school. But the 21-year-old from Lytchett Matravers, was astonished when she walked straight out of drama school and on to the set of top soap Emmerdale. Bethany, who
A FORMER Poole man has spent an agonising Christmas in a Spanish jail waiting for a decision on whether he will stand trial for murder in the USA. Builder Mark Merteith Ross, 46, has been in a Madrid prison for the past year for eight murders he says
POLICE are warning people to take care of their valuables during the busy sales period after an 85-year-old's savings for her funeral were stolen. The woman, who does not wish to be named, was shopping in Poole High Street when her bag, containing around
HIGH house prices locally may have given the impression 100 miles away in Westminster that Poole residents are well-heeled enough to pay bigger council tax bills. That's the fear as the council calls for face-to-face talks with deputy prime minister John
IT is the number one New Year's resolution and people in Poole vowing to give up cigarettes are being offered the chance to sign up to a mass Quit Smoking programme. NHS staff are hosting two drop-in sessions at Rossmore Community Centre from 10am to
BASHLEY made it a miserable start to 2005 for boss Geoff Butler as he was left fuming with his side's "inept" display at Leatherhead. The New Forest side found themselves three down to the Tanners inside an hour thanks to a Dave Stevens double and a Marc
BASHLEY made it a miserable start to 2005 for boss Geoff Butler as he was left fuming with his side's "inept" display at Leatherhead. The New Forest side found themselves three down to the Tanners inside an hour thanks to a Dave Stevens double and a Marc
FRUSTRATED Steve Johnson bemoaned Weymouth's finishing after being forced to settle for a draw in the return Dorset derby. In-form striker Matt Groves fired Dorchester in front at the Wessex Stadium, with his fourth strike against the Terras over the
POOLE'S Siemens Traffic Solutions Limited has won a major new contract from South Dublin County Council in the Republic of Ireland for a new traffic management system. Siemens' proven COMET system will be used by traffic managers responsible for over
A TEENAGE surfer miraculously survived the Asian tsunami by riding the huge surge of water on his board. Joe Pritchard, 17, from Charmouth, jumped on his surfboard when the tidal wave swamped the Sri Lankan coastal resort where he was holidaying. The
A GROUP of youngsters who sold their Christ-mas presents to raise money for tsunami victims have won praise across the country. And they now plan to sell more toys and gifts following the success of their first fundraiser. Children in the Cridland family
A WEYMOUTH woman today spoke of her relief after her husband survived the tsunami in Sri Lanka. But she now fears she may not see him again as he has been refused permission to live in Britain. Sara Rathnayake, of Wyke Regis, feared the worst when giant
A DORCHESTER pensioner who pedalled his way across India has raised thousands of pounds for charity. Maurice Willsher, 75, proved you are never too old for an adventure by swapping life in Dorset for the 500km challenge. And his cycling efforts for Clic
FLIRTING at a torpedo factory in Weymouth led to a happy marriage that has spanned sixty years so far. Fred and Rose Record, of Dover Road, Wyke Regis, are today celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary. Both lived in Westham during the war and while
THREE families were left homeless after a fireball ripped through a terrace of homes in the New Forest on New Year's Day. Householder Richard Troth, 40, of Stoneleigh Avenue, Hordle, was filling a motorcycle with petrol in a garage at the rear of his
STEVE Fletcher ended his 15-year wait for his first hat-trick and then dedicated his treble to his two daughters and his sick grandmother. Fletcher grabbed all three goals as Cherries maintained their promotion push with a thrilling 3-2 win over League
GRIEVING family and friends have left flowers and tributes at the site where a young motorcyclist was fatally injured in a collision with a car in Christchurch. Police have not named the 22-year-old Christchurch man who died in Poole hospital on New Year's
STEVE Fletcher ended his 15-year wait for his first hat-trick and then dedicated his treble to his two daughters and his sick grandmother. Fletcher grabbed all three goals as Cherries maintained their promotion push with a thrilling 3-2 win over League
ACTRESS Bethany Webb expected to do commercials and theatre work when she left drama school. But the 21-year-old from Lytchett Matravers, was astonished when she walked straight out of drama school and on to the set of top soap Emmerdale. Bethany, who
A RETIRED couple from New Milton have told how they had a lucky escape from the Indian Ocean tsunami. Brian and Norma Bailey were staying in a beach house on Phuket when the earthquake happened. The couple were on their way to Australia and had stopped
AN ARTIST will play a key role in the long-awaited redevelopment of Durlston Castle as a gateway to the Jurassic coast. Lulu Quinn recently designed a gateway for a public park in Gateshead which featured the voices of local children. Martin Cooke, the
EATING the chocolate inside an Advent Calendar is a treat we all look forward at this time of year. But for Debbie and Pete Matthews from Redshank Close, Poole, it meant a desperate dash to the vets to save their dog's life. Seven-year-old Schnauzer Murphy
POOLE has lost one of its most distinguished and influential sons with the death of businessman Alasdair Ferguson. "He really was a gentleman. We are not going to find another one like him in Poole in a hurry," said Ian Andrews, former chief executive
THEY say that if at first you don't succeed, you should try, try and try again. (January 1) Well, after 521 attempts and no fewer than eight near misses, Steve Fletcher was the toast of Dean Court on Saturday after finally grabbing the first hat-trick
JOHN Spicer's delightful double saw Bournemouth bring the curtain down on 2004 with an entertaining draw against League One rivals Huddersfield Town on December 28. The 21-year-old midfielder, signed permanently by the club earlier this month, celebrated
DORCHESTER boss Mark Morris reckoned four points out of six from the old enemy added up to a very happy Christmas. And with three home games to come in the rest of the month, he wants his side to get enough points in the bag by the end of January to be
POOLE'S Siemens Traffic Solutions Limited has won a major new contract from South Dublin County Council in the Republic of Ireland for a new traffic management system. Siemens' proven COMET system will be used by traffic managers responsible for over
THE BROTHER of a man found drowned in Weymouth harbour racially abused takeaway staff in a drunken rant, a court heard. Michael Berry launched into a verbal tirade at workers at Weymouth Kebab House in Westham Road in November, Dorchester Crown Court
VILLAGERS thanked postman Derek Brown for over three decades of first class work by handing him £1,000. A crowd of about 50 villagers gathered at Wool Post Office on his last day to present him with retirement gifts and money raised from a collection
SO that was it. The merry time's over and for men like me the season to be grumbling is about to start. The new Celebrity Big Brother hits our screens on Thursday. This is always a prickly time. Goodwill gushed in the Perkins household over the festive
