A RESCUE plan has been unveiled which could see the closed Homefield School in Christchurch reborn as a new independent secondary. The board of the Bournemouth-based Park School has put together a package to buy Homefield, which shut suddenly on Friday
THE father of a girl killed in a car accident is calling for a change in the law after the boyfriend who was driving at the time was only convicted of careless driving. Debbie Merritt, 20, died at the scene last February when the car she was in, driven
"WHEN people ask if I put on my body armour before I go into Townsend it makes me really angry because I probably feel safer here than I do in most other areas of Bournemouth," said Natalie Cresswell. Before taking up her post as one of two full-time
OMAR BENGUIT has been found guilty of the brutal murder of South Korean student Jong-Ok Shin. At Winchester Crown Court today Judge Heather Hallett said he should serve at least 20 years. Benguit, aged 32, of Linwood Road, Winton, had denied murdering
A DORSET MP is hopping mad over the short time given to residents to comment on proposals that could see a "sizeable town" built in her constituency. Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole is "absolutely outraged" over consultation on the South
A YOUNG chef had a lucky escape when a car smashed through a Canford Cliffs restaurant as he stood by the window. Gab Calipa, 21, was making coffee on the counter in front of the window in Gossip, Haven Road, at about 10.30am on Saturday. He was looking
STUART Cannie's double strike at Fareham was enough to help Wimborne Town maintain the pressure on the leaders in the Division One of the Wessex League. Cannie's second-half salvo crowned an impressive Magpies show after Stuart Cooper had opened the scoring
GOALKEEPER David Elm emerged as Bashley's hero as his 84th-minute penalty save ensured his side an improbable point at runaway Ryman One leaders AFC Wimbledon. Beset with injuries, the New Forest side looked set for a torrid afternoon in South London
IT WAS hardly a classic by any stretch of the imagination as Christchurch fell to a strong and organised BAT Sports by a solitary goal at Hurn Bridge. Paul West, who had a superb game for the visitors, terrorised Christchurch throughout the match and
BOURNEMOUTH Poppies produced a show of defiance as they held title-chasing Newbury to a goalless draw despite being reduced to nine men. Free-scoring frontman Karim Benssaouda was red-carded for allegedly raising his arms to an opponent while James Merritt
EVEN the master of spin would have done well to convince the football world that this result was justified. (January 29) Together with the rest of the Turf Moor faithful, Alastair Campbell, one of Burnley's celebrity supporters, must have breathed a huge
MONEYFIELDS 1 PORTLAND UNITED 0 IF PORTLAND United lose their Sydenhams Wessex League status this season it won't be for the want of trying. Dave Court's youthful Blues slid closer to the drop zone following a narrow defeat against Moneyfields and bottom
STEVE Johnson hailed Weymouth's never-say-die spirit after his side clinched a dramatic last-gasp victory over ten- man Basingstoke Town. Danny Byrne's stunning free kick deep into stoppage time lifted the Terras above their hosts into sixth place in
LONG after Dorchester's forgettable 1-1 draw with Carshalton Athletic is a distant memory, Alex Browne will still be wondering how Carshalton keeper Stuart Searle kept out a trio of bullet headers to deny him three goals in the last five minutes. The
DORCHESTER Football Club are planning a big, four-day party in April to celebrate the club's 125th anniversary. A luxury marquee will be erected in the front car park at the Avenue Stadium to host various events including a sportsman's dinner at which
A CRAMPED school for children with special needs is set to expand after it was revealed some pupils were being taught in corridors. Head teacher at Beaucroft Foundation School near Wimborne Paul McGill said investment was urgently needed to improve facilities
WEYMOUTH Football Club chief Martyn Harrison is threatening to ban fans who invaded the pitch during the Terras' win at Basingstoke Town. The millionaire hotel tycoon is vowing to take disciplinary action after a handful of supporters ran on to the Camrose
TORIES have launched a fierce local campaign against Government plans to move operations from Dorchester to Bourne-mouth. Keep Our Operations Local (KOOL) is highly critical of Government plans to centralise major surgeries in urban centres which it says
SPORTY Andrea Stroud is putting her best foot forward to raise cash for sufferers of motor neurone disease. The speech and language therapist has won a place in the London Marathon this April and hopes sponsorship money can buy vital equipment for terminally
WORK to revamp Dorchester's historic Borough Gardens will start within weeks. Dorchester Town Council was celebrating last year after securing almost £1million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the major refurbishment. The grant was finally awarded after
WESTHAVEN Kids Club in Weymouth is celebrating after Ofsted inspectors praised the way it was run. Their report said that the quality of teaching was generally good with staff working well together as a team. They added: "The club provides generally good
LUMPY mash and soggy veg are a thing of the past according to councillors who sampled school dinners this week. A taste test with a difference saw Dorset county councillors tucking into school lunches and it was a far cry from the stodgy meals of days
IN A WORLD full of anodyne, dull and lifeless ex-footballers-turned-TV pundits, Rodney Marsh was a breath of fresh air. Funny, irreverent and outspoken, his various turns on Sky Sports as a football commentator have always been entertaining and engaging
A LANDSCAPE gardener who needed surgery to re-build his shattered face following a brutal gang attack has spoken of the unprovoked assault. Howard Green was set upon as he walked back from his local off-licence to the flat he shares with his girlfriend
A POLICEMAN from Swanage has met prime minister Tony Blair in recognition of his contribution to fighting crime in the town. For more than 15 years PC Dick Clapp has been a familiar face on the streets of Swanage, helping to keep law and order and supporting
96 Middlehill Road, Colehill, Wimborne; 3/04/1304/FUL, single storey extension to the side and the front to include a single garage; Delta Homes Ltd, Bracken Way, Hangersley Hill, Ringwood (for: Mr & Mrs Farmer). 1D Poole Road, Wimborne Minster, Wimborne
Corfe Road (30), Stoborough; 6/2005/0076, erect two storey extension to dwelling house; Mr Boardman and Miss Abrahams. Barnhill Road (Model Cottage), Ridge; 6/2005/0077, demolish existing cottage. Erect new two storey dwelling and detached garage, modify
THE question of injury time reared its ugly head as Poole Town were denied a valuable three points by a controversial Petersfield equaliser deep into added time. Referee Mr Saxby chose to add four minutes at the end of the game and in the third of those
KEYNSHAM 2 BRIDPORT 1 A GOAL from Steve Jones just two minutes from time denied Bridport a deserved Screwfix Direct Premier Division point at Crown Field. It was particularly hard on Bees goalkeeper Martin Peters, who pulled off a stunning save just moments
THE Magpies will be in action on Good Friday for the first time in years. Dorchester's Nationwide Conference South home game against Havant and Waterlooville, which was scheduled for Saturday March 26, has now been brought forward a day to avoid clashing
UNHAPPY with goods you've bought on the internet? You are entitled to a refund within seven days - or three months if the website does not explain this right to you. It's an example of the legal twists that both consumers and businesses need to be well
HAVING conquered the West End, The Play What I Wrote, the brilliantly conceived multi award-winning tribute to England's greatest comedy double act Morcambe and Wise, is out on the road and heading for Poole. The show, which opens for a six night run
WEYMOUTH swimming pool faces closure unless essential repairs are carried out, a hard-hitting report says. Weymouth and Portland Borough Council is facing a bill of £331,500 to fix the ageing complex within the next 12 months. The authority has outlined
A NEW blue-light emergency service being tested in New Milton has saved two lives in the first three months. The co-responders scheme brings together Hampshire Fire and Rescue and Hampshire Ambulance services. It has been tried in New Milton, Romsey and
A MASSIVE development in Christchurch could provide homes for more than 120 elderly or infirm people and provide improved day care for adults with learning disabilities. The multi-million pound scheme has been proposed by Dorset County Council for a four-acre
BURNLEY boss Steve Cotterill became the latest Dean Court old boy to deny Cherries a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup - but admitted "the better team lost". Cotterill's Clarets triumphed 2-0 thanks to goals either side of half-time from striker
