TO be part of this week's glorious celebration of the 150 anniversary of one of the world's oldest and most famous sporting trophies, the America's Cup, is seeing sailing history come alive as never before - and never again. I find the sense of history
THE Football League has turned down pleas from Dorset police and AFC Bournemouth to postpone next month's Cherries' home league match against Reading amid safety fears. Bournemouth operations manager Supt Geoff Watts said the force had twice asked for
A formal protest has been lodged by Henstridge with the Nationwide Sun Awnings Dorset Cricket League following their tied match with Studland in Division One of the Sunday Section. With leaders Colehill unable to play at Ellingham because the ground was
Christchurch boss Nigel Cripps admitted his side had "held on for grim death" following their 1-1 draw at Gosport Borough's Privett Park. Priory were forced to weather the storm and defend heroically after Andy Nicholas's first-half opener had been cancelled
Beach Boys Inc (Finn M'Coul's, Westham Road, Weymouth): This week's guide starts with a tribute to the band that the Beatles considered their greatest rivals. £4 admission. Version 2:0 (The Anchor, Custom House Quay, Weymouth): Anjee is at the helm as
SPEAKING as a member of Gothic Chicken (Jolly Sailor, Portland, Saturday), I am always keen to hear news from fellow occupants of the chicken world, so you can readily imagine my delight at being able to inform you that a Bank Holiday weekend of, ahem
WANTED - volunteers to row a four-man boat across the Atlantic Ocean faster than anyone else in history. A strong body and mind is required to face the mighty challenge of 33 days on the high seas. Knowing a thing or two about survival techniques and
DORSET'S Jean Howard-Jones jetted off to Japan this week to make her international swimming debut at the age of 58. Jean, who had a kidney transplant less than two years ago, will be competing for Britain in the World Transplant Games after resurrecting
DAY three of the Weymouth and Portland Bowls Tournament saw a series of nail-biting contests in the men's singles. The fine run of last year's runner-up Francis came to an end at the hands of Harvey (Marlow) 21-11. Patterson (Greenhill) continued in winning
DORCHESTER 1 FISHER ATHLETIC 0 THE scoreline might suggest a close game - but nothing was further from the truth at the Avenue Stadium last night. Dorchester were streets ahead of last season's fellow relegation candidates from London's dockland and only
GOAL hero Phil Andrews walked off with the man-of-the-match award after kick-starting Dorchester's promotion challenge at the Avenue Stadium last night and confidently predicted: "With the side we have here we can win this division." Andrews' goal in
GARRETH O'Connor believes Sean O'Driscoll has pulled off another masterstroke by persuading his former Bohemians team-mate Shaun Maher to join Cherries. Maher finally completed his free transfer from the League of Ireland outfit when he put pen to paper
STAFF at a comprehensive school in Dorset have paid tribute to one of their teachers following his sudden death. Kevin Smith, head of year and PE teacher at Ferndown Upper, died from a heart attack on Sunday. Mr Smith, who was 40, had been at Ferndown
A brother and sister from East Dorset have qualified to compete at the prestigious Horse of the Year show. Jade, aged 17, and 13-year-old Josh Whitelock, from the Wimborne area, took the first two places in the pony section of the South Essex Insurance
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23 The Beggar's Opera, Buckland Newton An Adult Evening with Frank Carson, Weymouth Pavilion Hugh Lennon and his Hypno-Dog, Weymouth Pavilion (11pm) Daniel O'Donnell, Windsor Hall BIC Theft, Pier Theatre, Bournemouth That'll be the Day
DORSET'S home-grown cabaret stars, As One Entertainment, will be thrilling audiences with show-stopping songs next week. The trio will be giving voice to a host of classic favourites from the stage and screen in their Fantasy and Freedom show at Portesham
AN EVENING of top-flight contemporary dance is on offer in Dorchester on Saturday when Influx comes to the Corn exchange. The show starts at 7.30pm and tickets, available on the door, cost £4 for adults and free admission for the under-18s.
TICKETS are now on sale for Rattle of a Simple Man, the latest production by Portland's Royal Manor Theatre Company, which starts its five-day run on Tuesday, September 4. Charles Dyer's gently humorous play is about a man who travels to see a football
CONDITIONS are getting better at Portland's Young Offender Institution, but there are still serious problems with violence at the jail, a new report reveals today. Inspectors had previously criticised conditions at the YOI and head of the Prison Service
A MAJOR project to create modern football facilities in Dorchester is set for kick-off after plans received unanimous support from councillors. A brand new pavilion, with changing facilities, a floodlit, all- weather football pitch and car parking is
THE wait is over for thousands of Dorset students expecting their GCSE results today. And school heads have hailed them as the best results yet and said that pupils will be delighted that their hard work has paid off. Many schools and colleges in the
WEYMOUTH Beach came to life as thousands of people flocked to the town for the live Blue Peter Roadshow. Youngsters and parents from all across Dorset packed the beach to watch the roadshow, the last in a series of four live broadcasts from different
WEYMOUTH is on the brink of bank holiday traffic chaos because of continuing problems with repair works on the main road into town. A gas leak at the junction of Dorchester Road and Roman Close caused long queues when one carriageway had to be closed
DORCHESTER soccer fans Joseph and Christopher McHale became brothers in arms with their hero Duncan Ferguson before a top match. The pair rubbed shoulders with the Everton striker before the Merseyside team's Premiership clash with Spurs at Goodison Park
AN urgent appeal fund is being launched this autumn to stop the animal carnage seen on New Forest roads every year. Although the number of ponies killed on roads has decreased since 1999, dozens of animals are still falling victim to the menace of the
THE decision to replace traditional seaside farce with a drama at Bournemouth's Pier Theatre this summer is clearly paying dividends. Psychological comedy thriller Theft, which stars veteran funnyman Roy Hudd and former EastEnders baddy Leslie "Dirty
THERE is nothing more infuriating than a horse who goes like the wind at home but then fails to deliver the goods on the course. Prize Dancer fell into that frustrating category - until he finally showed what he is capable of doing in public by winning
BASHLEY are still searching for their first win under new boss Derek Binns after going down 3-2 against Dr Martens League Eastern Division rivals Eastbourne Borough. The New Forest outfit were up against it after conceding twice inside the opening 38
"I HAD that Oxo man in the front of my cab last week." That's what punters in North Dorset can boast these days. Because television actor Michael Redfern, who starred opposite Lynda Bellingham in the meat cube ads is now driving a taxi in Gillingham.
POLICE in North Dorset are claiming a massive success in a crime reduction campaign during the school holidays. Violent crime has been reduced by a staggering 60 per cent and house burglaries have fallen by 71 per cent in Shaftesbury and Gillingham. Overall
MANY businesses trading over the internet could be paying more tax than they should because of the tangled web of tax tariffs between different countries. Some firms could end up paying twice the amount of tax necessary. "Taxation of e-commerce can be
MAIDMAN'S Marquees has supplied its largest marquee to date for a major auction held at Somerley House, near Ringwood. The event brought in antique furniture, paintings and other items from around the South for three viewing days and two sale days. The
ONE of the toughest challenges in the British offshore racing calendar - the Fastnet Race - failed to defeat its only all-girl crew. Far from it, for Lorna Graham, from Lymington, and Jo Burchell, from Blandford, distinguished themselves as best overall
BREEZY, exhausting, but great fun. That was Mudeford Week, the annual regatta hosted by Mudeford SC which brings together many of Christchurch Harbour's keenest dinghy sailors. The wind blew itself up to Force 5/6 during the helter-skelter week. But the
IT is an event that will require extreme levels of skill, strength and stamina but Daniel Whapples is not worried - he's got time on his side. The 21-year-old student from Broadstone is the youngest competitor lining up for the Poole Audi Hex-treme competition
THOUSANDS of people will be flocking to Studland this weekend for the 12th annual country fair. Two days of fun begins tomorrow with a darts tournament featuring the skills of international darts player Les Wallace. The traditional country fair with fun
THREE of the region's recreational cricket leagues are set to merge at the end of the current season so as to create a new Wessex League in 2002. Clubs are being asked to sanction a merger of the existing Hampshire League, Combination League and New Forest
A CRUCIAL meeting yesterday between union bosses and troubled telecoms firm Marconi, which intends to close its Wallisdown plant with the loss of 571 jobs gave no new answers. The company expects most of its Poole employees to accept redundancy in October
A blitz on litter is about to start in Poole in a bid to stem the growing amount of rubbish thrown away every year. The Pride in Poole campaign, due to be launched tomorrow in the town centre, has a tough message. After education and fair warning comes
STAFF at Poole Hospital were able to demonstrate how they cope with emergency procedures when regional health minister Hazel Blears paid them a visit. During a tour of the Accident and Emergency department Ms Blears spoke with staff about emergency pressures
Paul Honeybun netted twice as Bournemouth Poppies maintained their impressive start to the season with a 3-1 win over Jewson Wessex League rivals Hamble. Poppies, who toppled much-fancied Cowes Sports on the opening day of the season, were forced to come
WICKETKEEPER Paul Bassindale was the hero of Dorchester Casuals tense, last-over victory against St George's which clinched their third Dorchester Evening League Division One title in a row. The former Dorchester CC skipper slammed an unbeaten 62 that
Nothing much seems to change in sport, does it? Take last weekend for example. Michael Schumacher won, Phil Mickelson didn't. Manchester United won, Dorchester didn't. England won the Test Match, Australia didn't. Hold on, now that is something different
ARTSREACH'S summer of children's entertainment draws to a close this week with a selection of top activities planned for the county's villages. In Piddletrenthide tomorrow kiddies aged six-12 can create their own version of the musical Cats (10.30am-3.30pm
WORLD-RENOWNED medical researcher Dr Horace Dobbs is coming to Dorchester Arts centre tomorrow night to give a film show and talk on dolphins. During the evening, which starts at 7pm, he will be explaining how the marine mammals 'have a powerful efect
YOUNGSTERS aged 10 and above are being invited to take part in the 11th annual Combined Arts Week, an extravaganza of drama and invention starting on Monday and organised by Dorchester Youth Theatre. This year's dramatic feast is being overseen by the
BLUES guitarist Scott McKeon may only be 15 years old but he's certainly paid his dues. He's slugged his axe around the blues halls of Texas and worked with the house band that plays with people like BB King. This weekend he arrives on stage at Bishopstock
BOURNEMOUTH-based Pogues sound-alikes Plastic Paddy promote their splendid new album Liverdance with a couple of local gigs this weekend. The band appear at the George Inn, Christchurch, tomorrow night and the Thomas Tripp at Lymington on Sunday. Their
STAFF at Portland YOI are making good progress, but there is still a long way to go. Inspectors heaped praised on changes made since the last report a year ago, but they warn more needs to be done to bring the regime up to scratch. They singled out as
BUILDING work on Weymouth College's new campus is due to be completed in time for the start of the next term. Three new blocks have been built at Cranford Avenue as part of a £13 million redevelopment project for a single-site campus. And as the work
PLATINUM couple Bert and Flo Reid celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in Charmouth after meeting on a London street seven decades ago. The teenage sweethearts' paths first crossed when a pal of Bert's whistled at 15-year-old Flo and a friend when
A MAJOR campaign is being launched to ensure that important features ranging from dinosaur footprints to quarries are preserved in Purbeck. Councils, business, farming and wildlife groups were among more than 50 representatives who met the National Trust
It was a double celebration for the winner of the first Weymouth and Portland Housing Company gardens competition when he dug his way to victory on his birthday. Harry Makin, 82, of Granby Close, came first in the complete garden and patio class of the
A brother and sister from East Dorset have qualified to compete at the prestigious Horse of the Year show. Jade, aged 17, and 13-year-old Josh Whitelock, from the Wimborne area, took the first two places in the pony section of the South Essex Insurance
Alex Pike saw Wimborne Town secure their first win of the season at Blackfield and Langley before admitting: "We were awful". Two goals from Mark Dancer inside nine first-half minutes earned the Magpies the points, although Pike was far from happy with
TONY Rickardsson joined an elite band of riders on the Blue Riband role of honour when he came from behind to win the final at Wimborne Road last night. The likes of Barry Briggs, Ole Olsen, Anders Michanek, Bruce Penhall and Erik Gundersen have all carried
