A SWANAGE trucker is fighting government plans which could leave historic Wareham Forest sold off to the highest bidder. Stephanie Legg is determined to highlight the controversial proposals, which could affect England’s entire 258,000-hectare public
MEMBERS of Dorset Fire Authority have warned its financial future may be bleak despite a settlement far better than expected for the next two years. The fire authority was forecast to receive a 25 per cent cut but the service was awarded an increased
A new initiative by concerned tenants and the police is set to remind drivers that they should curb their speed on the Littlemoor roads. Twenty is Plenty is the slogan and bright yellow laminated cards with the heading Littlemoor Is Watching
A NEW tennis centre has been a big hit with more than 1,000 players taking to the courts since its launch. A mixture of tennis clubs, coaches and the public have used the new Indoor Tennis Centre at the Wey Valley School and Sports College
I AM pleased to be writing about happenings in and around Winfrith Newburgh and East Knighton again. So let me know if you would like me to mention your event. THIS Friday at Winfrith Village Hall, Hank Wangford and Brad Breath will have performed
THE final batches of an urgently needed vehicle are being delivered to Afghanistan thanks to work at Bovington Camp. The Warthog was bought after deadly experience showed its forerunner, the Viking, had too little armour to survive blasts by improvised
VILLAGERS in Puddletown are toasting another victory in their year-long battle against a housing developer. Wyatt Homes has been bidding to build a 15-home development off the village high street, sparking fears from residents over the impact on the
A THIEF stole a charity collection box set up in memory of a teaching assistant who died of cancer last year. Hayley Morby, manager at Meridian Shoes in Dorchester, left collection boxes in both of the shop’s branches but to her dismay the one on the
Dorchester Town striker Rico Wilson has been jailed for seven months. The Magpies player appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday on his 20th birthday and was sentenced to seven months in prison for possessing 1.87g of methedrone – a class
TWO little bundles of love made a surprise appearance on Valentine’s Day. Little Reuben Pankhurst was the first of the Valentine’s babies to be born at Dorset County Hospital in the early hours of yesterday. Parents Joel Pankhurst, 19
The life of a Master Brewer at Eldridge Pope’s Brewery in Dorchester is to be celebrated at a service of thanksgiving. Daniel ‘Dan’ Thomasson was born on October 4, 1945 in Ruislip, London and he spent many of his early years in Texas, America as his
A COUPLE are celebrating the birth of their first daughter. Gemma Rose, 26, and Joe Toghill, 30, from Broadmayne welcomed baby Sienna Rose Toghill into their lives at Dorset County hospital in Dorchester on January 30 weighing 6lbs and 10oz. Gemma is
BRIDPORT’S very own Stompin’ Dave brings a night of the highest quality blues to the Electric Palace on Thursday night. The evening includes Michael Roach, who is originally from Washington DC, and founder of the European Blues Association. He is
A WEYMOUTH couple tied the knot in the Dominican Republic. Sarah Castle, 29, a shop assistant at Howleys Toymaster, married Ian Moore, 29, the company director of Howleys Toymaster in Weymouth and Dorchester on January 10 in the Caribbean. The couple
WHILE most of us consider a bit of pruning to be a good day’s work in the garden, for Caroline Sharp it is the cornerstone of her career. Caroline is a Weymouth-based landscape architect and artist who specialises in working with natural materials such
For the information of people employed in retail establishments on Portland, I reproduce an extract from the Customer Service Handbook (Portland edition): 1. Under no circumstances acknowledge your customer. If possible continue your conversation
OLYMPIC hopeful Luke Patience is urging Dorset residents to get excited and throw their support behind the sailing Games. It comes as the schedule for 2012 sailing events in Weymouth and Portland is unveiled for the first time across the region
STAMPEDE! - Live Music with Appalachian dancing and singing group. Kick out the winter blues and join in with an evening of humour and fun entertainment. Entry is free. The event takes place in Evershot Village Hall on Saturday
NIGEL Biddlecombe believes “every possible option” should be explored by the Terras before a groundshare with local rivals Dorchester Town is even entertained. Responding to yesterday’s article in Echosport in which chairman George Rolls described a
TWO last-ditch strikes denied Weymouth Reserves all three points from a dramatic tussle with Poole Borough. Phil Ross and John Bates both scored in stoppage time as the title-chasing Terras had to settle for a share of the Magna Dorset Premier
ASHLEY Smith grabbed the winner as Portland United staged a second-half fight-back to return to winning ways in the Magna Dorset Premier League. The Blues, who could only name a 12-man squad due to several late withdrawals, conceded twice before
LIAM Beades celebrated his return to Chickerell United with a crucial brace in their late win over Magna Dorset Premier League basement boys Sturminster Newton. The striker was drafted straight into the Chickens’ starting XI after completing
JOINT-MANAGER Steve Crabb remained upbeat despite seeing Bridport Reserves suffer a 2-1 reversal away to Parley Sports. Parley ambushed the Bees by racing into a two-goal lead inside 12 minutes on Saturday before withstanding considerable pressure
WEYMOUTH 11 BLANDFORD 20 PAUL Harding hopes the pain his players suffered at the weekend will drive them on to future glory. The Weymouth head coach saw his side put up a brave fight against much-fancied Blandford in the final of the Dorset & Wilts
OLDFIELD OB 14 DORCHESTER 5 DORCHESTER just came up short in a keenly fought contest between two evenly matched sides. The county town outfit shaded the forward battle while the Oldfield back division always looked the more dangerous. The home
PUDDLETOWN 26 ELLINGHAM & R II 59 PUDDLETOWN ran in four tries for the first time this season but it was not enough to halt the division’s leading scorers. Despite suffering from selection problems, the Villagers started strongly and within five
