DORSET Police have warned that people responsible for threatening witnesses involved in court cases will be punished severely. The message was issued after a man was sentenced to three years jail for intimidating two witnesses involved in his own court
"AN elegant haven for the blue rinse brigade by day and a brassy resort for boozy stags by night"...this is how the latest Lonely Planet guide describes Bournemouth, and for once, it's pretty much spot on. Previous travel guides have been less than complimentary
BOURNEMOUTH hairdresser Melanie Roberts is joining her boyfriend today as he sets off for a ramble across Britain. But there is just one twist - the 33-year-old and Steve Gough will be doing the walk naked. Ex-Royal marine Steve made world headlines as
IT'S the film that broke records around the world. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, the last instalment of a 28-year screen saga, took £14 million in four days in the UK. But cinema-goers with disabilities were not able to see it in Bournemouth
HOLLYWOOD heart-throb Christian Bale has dismissed claims that his school days in Bournemouth had been blighted by bullying. Speaking at a press conference, just hours after the European premiere of Batman Begins in London's West End, the former grammar
SHE'S the most successful athlete in Dorset swimming history. Now Olympian Karen Legg is to pass on her knowledge to others after signing to a local leisure centre. Bosses at Broadstone Leisure Centre have signed the local hero as fitness/swimming consultant
A RESPITE care home has been temporarily closed while an investigation continues into claims that a 30-year-old Down's Syndrome man was assaulted by a member of staff. Dorset police and Poole social services are looking into allegations that three of
A SPATE of four fires within seven days on Canford Heath has brought a call for a by-law to be introduced to fine people carrying matches or a lighter when visiting the heathland area. And Canford Heath Neighbourhood Watch also want two steel watch towers
WEST Hants ladies have qualified for the Kia National Club League play-offs after winning all seven regional rounds of the South West division. Having dropped just three rubbers in the first six rounds, West Hants only just beat Taunton on a tie-break
UP to 16 jobs could be at risk after thieves stole £20,000 worth of vital machinery from a troubled Three Legged Cross printing firm. Wessex Binding Services was on the verge of finding a new buyer after being place in the hands of administrators last
A GRANDMOTHER who cannot have a funeral for her grandson is holding a benefit night in his memory. Maureen Francis today appealed for help from businesses as she remembers her 22-year-old grandson, who fell overboard from a fishing boat three weeks ago
WORK was beginning today on a controversial church hall, which will be built on top of a graveyard. Contractors were due to begin preliminary work at St Mary's Church in Puddletown, which has featured in the Thomas Hardy novel Far from the Madding Crowd
LINKS formed last year when pupils and staff from Southwell County Primary School visited Dairy Meadow School in Southall, London, have been strengthened. Forty-three pupils from the London school, accompanied by staff and parents, made their first ever
A PLANNING inquiry to decide whether Dorset Police can fly its helicopter 24 hours a day began in Wareham yesterday. The police authority is seeking to overturn a planning condition set by Purbeck District Council restricting helicopter flights from the
OLDER drivers in the New Forest are being encouraged to visit their opticians after sight checks across the area showed that half of those tested had problems that could affect their driving. The random vision checks were carried out as part of a campaign
SCHOOLCHILDREN were given a taste of Army life in a bid to encourage them to sign up to the Forces. Around 1,000 pupils visited the Royal School of Signals base at Blandford Camp to take part in a series of activities to test their mental and physical
ONE of our major high street retailers has decided to give ironing a more "macho" image. Argos sees this is as an important opportunity after research showed that the number of men doing their own ironing had increased to 17 per cent. Take another look
A BOURNEMOUTH woman has written to Tony Blair calling for action after more than 100 pairs of tickets for next month's Live 8 gig were put up for sale on the internet. Mum of five Emma Christison says she is "disgusted" that people are selling their tickets
A PLANNING inquiry to decide whether Dorset Police can fly its helicopter 24 hours a day got underway in Wareham on Tuesday. The police authority is seeking to overturn a planning condition set by Purbeck District Council restricting helicopter flights
THURSDAY JUNE 16 Arecibo Blueshouse + The Ju Ju Men - Mr Kyps; The Tides - The Salisbury Arms, Purewell; Paul Hammond - The Cottonwood Hotel, Bournemouth; The Bobstars - Longs of Lymington; Pronghorn - The Plough Inn, Tiptoe; Smith and Moore - The Rising
FAMILIES can read about how police are winning the war against crime in a newspaper being delivered to every household in Dorset. The latest issue of Safer Dorset details how total crime in the county has fallen by 7.9 per cent over the past year. Dorset's
SCHOOLS in Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset are to get just over £7m to extend school hours for children under 14. Education Secretary Ruth Kelly announced the scheme to keep schools open from 8am to 6pm on Monday. Youngsters will be offered supervised breakfasts
IT'S the film that broke records around the world. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, the last instalment of a 28-year screen saga, took £14 million in four days in the UK. But cinema-goers with disabilities were not able to see it in Bournemouth
PULL your shorts on and get ready to crack open some Dorset wine - the South could soon look more like the Med, if scientists meeting this week are right. As climate change brings warmer, drier summers, olive groves, vines and fields of sunflowers are
FUND-RAISERS from Swanage have just returned from Belarus, where children are still suffering the grim legacy of the Chernobyl disaster. Every summer since 1998 a group of children from the contaminated zone have spent a month in Purbeck to help boost
COLIN McCourt shattered one of Bournemouth Athletic Club's most highly prized records with a storming 1500m run at Watford. It was way back in the mists of time - 1974, in fact - when Chris Stewart ran three minutes and 43.0 seconds to establish a new
THE amount of debt people are taking on has fallen to its lowest level for four years, figures showed today. But they are still borrowing 55p for every pound they save, said IFA Promotion, which markets on behalf of independent financial advisers. During
PIRATES star Ryan Sullivan is out of tonight's Team Great Britain versus Australia international at Poole (7.30pm). The Aussie ace has a trapped nerve in his neck and will sit out the mouth-watering one-off Ashes Test at Wimborne Road. Former RIAS Pirates
Caught In The Net: Lighthouse, Poole. Classic farce continues at Lighthouse this week with a clutch of well-known soap and sitcom stars appearing in a Ray Cooney's follow-up to Run For Your Wife. Trevor Bannister (Mr Lucas from Are You Being Served. Jeffrey
DORCHESTER Carn-ival organisers say this year's event is shaping up to be the best ever. A number of events are being held in the days leading up to the annual charity extravaganza on Saturday. They are due to kick off with a four-legged fancy dress pub
TESTS for underground gases and metals are to be carried out at homes built on former landfill sites in Weymouth. The borough council has sent letters to 62 householders near the rugby club in Monmouth Avenue asking for permission to dig boreholes in
TOWN-centre residents have called for more time to consider far-reaching plans for the future of the Druitt Gardens and adjoining public and privately-owned sites behind Christchurch High Street. As reported in the Echo last week, Christchurch council
STEPHEN Purches is pondering his Cherries future but insists "it would take something pretty special to make me want to leave". The Cherries utility man is one of only two remaining out-of-contract players still to make a decision on a one-year contract
