Archive

  • 'Unusual' mirror light fire in Martinstown

    A PILE of clothes caught alight in Martinstown due to 'lamplight reflected off a mirror'. The 'unusual' blaze occurred in a bedroom at Higher Ashton Farm, just outside Dorchester this afternoon. Dorset Fire and Rescue Service were alerted at 3.41pm

  • Town centre toilets in Bridport flushed with success

    RELIEF is at hand as a new block of public toilets in Bridport’s town centre has been opened by West Dorset District Council. The new toilets in the South Street car park is the latest development linked to Bridport Town Council’s Town Hall redevelopment

  • TV programme to feature Dorset blacksmith's work

    AN award-winning blacksmith will see his work on screen in a TV documentary tomorrow night. Simon Grant-Jones is a contributor in the BBC4 programme ‘The Blacksmith’s Tale’ and a piece of ironwork that he made recently will feature in the film. The

  • Dorchester artwork is a benchmark for success

    DORSET artists were drawn to a Dorchester arcade for the unveiling of a new public artwork. Local artists braved the rain to come to the installation of the curved oak bench in Tudor Arcade yesterday. Furniture makers Simon Thomas Pirie Ltd, of Briantspuddle

  • Chocolatier celebrates 105 sweet years

    FRIENDS and family flocked to help a chocolatier celebrate her 105th birthday in Dorchester. Christina Ungaretti, who set up the House of Dorchester chocolate factory with her late husband Richard Ungaretti, was surrounded by loved ones at

  • Dorset charities team up to help the needy

    TWO local charities are joining forces to help people in and around Dorchester who are struggling in the recession. The Lions Club of Dorchester and District is strengthening its links with the Dorchester, Sherborne and Districts Citizens Advice Bureau

  • Ballroom couple in a spin for wedding

    WEYMOUTH and Dorchester were the perfect locations for one happy couple’s big day. Christine Searing, 26, and Michael Smith, 29, tied the knot at St Ann’s Church, Radipole, Weymouth on Saturday, April 28. The bride’s family live in Lynmoor

  • Titanic journey for special birthday

    A WEST BAY couple celebrated a 60th birthday with a cruise on board a ship retracing the voyage of the Titanic. Mike and Margaret Thompson, of West Walk, planned the cruise and a trip to New York to celebrate Margaret’s 60th birthday. They booked their

  • Flying start for Weymouth's new RSPB visitor centre

    SCHOOLCHILDREN, volunteers, and members of the public turned out in the rain to celebrate the re-launch of a new visitor centre at a wildlife haven in the heart of Weymouth. The Wild Weymouth Discovery Centre at Radipole Lake was officially opened yesterday

  • Bad drivers still have 'No Excuse'

    POLICE have revealed more excuses given by bad drivers caught by their 'No Excuses' campaign. A young motorcyclist told officers on Chickerell Road that it was unfair of them to wait at the bottom of the hill because his bike goes faster downhill. He

  • Car ends up on roof after Weymouth accident

    A car flipped over onto its roof after a crash on Abbotsbury Road. A section of Abbotsbury Road was closed for over an hour while emergency services worked. A blue Vauxhall Corsa travelling away from Weymouth down Abbotsbury road clipped the back of

  • Civic leaders take tour of Dorchester

    MAYORS from across Dorset joined Dorchester’s first citizen Tess James for a stroll around the county town. Councillor James, third from left, front row, who will soon hand over her mayoral chain to Andy Canning, hosted a civic afternoon to show fellow

  • Free training sessions at TUC event

    THERE will be something for everyone at a learning event organised by trade unions in Dorchester. Unionlearn, the education arm of the TUC (Trades Union Congress), and Dorset County Council’s Unison branch have organised a Learning at Work Day at the

  • Blandford funeral of road crash victim

    THE funeral of the young man killed in a head-on smash near Blandford earlier this month, takes place today. Friends and family of Ben Andrews are expected to pack out Blandford’s St Peter and St Paul’s Church for the 12.30pm service, ahead of a private

  • Street art in Weymouth's Park District

    THE walls around a housing estate are turning into a street art canvas for a new community project. In a bid to rid Weymouth’s Park District of anti-social graffiti, residents and organisations have joined forces to brighten up the area by hanging large

  • Prosecution threat to seafront cyclist aged five

    A WEYMOUTH mum was shocked to be told her five-year-old son would have to get off his bike or face possible prosecution for cycling on Weymouth promenade. Little Harry Besant, from Weymouth, had just got his freedom this year after getting out of stabilisers

  • Get ready for the jubilee celebrations

    The Queen’s Jubilee celebrations on Monday 4th June are going to be a memorable occasion and Littlemoor’s promises to be one of the best. Organised and arranged by Synergy’s 3Zone panel and the LCAG it is packed full of fun and games for the youngsters

  • Dig into history

    COMMUNITY archaeologist Chris Tripp will be at Bucky Doo Square, Bridport tomorrow with a stall of ancient artefacts. He will be giving out information between 10am and 2pm and calling for people to help promote and research Dorset’s archaeological heritage

  • Village to throw open its gardens

    YET more gardens are opening in the West Dorset village of Netherbury this year for its annual Open Gardens celebration. For 2012, Netherbury has no fewer than five Yellow Book NGS gardens open to the public. Besides the horticultural giants already

  • Rare twin calves born

    RARE twin calves have been born on the National Trust’s Greenlands Farm, part of the Purbeck estate. The red Devon calves are being taken care of by Lisa Hawthornthwaite who hit the headlines in 2008 when she became Britain’s only cowgirl, looking after

  • Dorset police plea after distraction burglary

    POLICE want to trace these men in connection with a distraction burglary in Dorset. The CCTV images were taken at Leanings of Shaftesbury in High Street, Shaftesbury, where a purse was stolen on the afternoon of Saturday, May 5. Police Constable Mal

  • Topsy turvy life of bats

    Bats are one of the most misunderstood species in Britain – people either love them or loathe them. Now Dorset Wildlife Trust is giving bat lovers and the bat-curious a chance to spend a weekend exploring the world’s only flying mammal, with a weekend

  • Thanks for help when I fell down

    I would like to take the opportunity through the Echo to thank the two kind people who assisted me when I fell over on the First bus travelling to Portland due to it pulling away before I managed to get to a seat. NAME supplied Portland

  • This monument to ‘democracy’

    West Dorset District Council Leader Robert Gould’s assertion that the time for questioning is now over actually overlooks the fact that Charles Street building itself raises many questions. True, it could become affordable dwellings, commercial or charity

  • Helena Lucas praises British teammate Megan Pascoe

    SELECTED 2.4mR sailor Helena Lucas praised her British teammate Megan Pascoe who pushed her every step of the way for selection and raised her game. The pair, who both live on Portland, were in close contention for London 2012 selection. Lucas, 37,

  • Stop the moaning, here’s good news

    Most of the correspondence you receive regarding services to the public in Weymouth appear to be letters of complaint. I am pleased to offer a different viewpoint – at least on two matters. 1. People complained when the Tourist Information Centre was

  • I parked and rode – it was excellent

    I am writing in praise of Weymouth’s Park and Ride Scheme which I used for the first time today. I parked with ease at the Mount Pleasant car park and it was pleasant! I then paid my reasonable all-day fee of £1.50 and had a short bus journey to

  • Atheletes tell of delight at Olympics 2012 selection

    ATHLETES have spoken of their delight and relief at being chosen for the Olympic and Paralympic squads. There was fierce competition within the British squad for selection for all the last three classes – the Olympic Laser Radial dinghy and 49er high

  • Radipole Primary School students enjoy delicious dishes

    HOT meals will soon be enjoyed by pupils who spent an afternoon sampling delicious dishes. Pupils at Radipole Primary School had a visit from school meal service providers Drill Chef and Hugh Judd from Beef and Lamb Executive to choose which hot meals

  • Olympics update: Good luck, show support and prizes

    Good luck PORTLAND sailor Megan Pascoe has wished her Paralympic teammates the best of luck and pledged to keep sailing the 2.4mR despite missing out on selection. Pascoe said: “I found out on Saturday, May 5 that I have not been selected for the

  • League win is remembered

    MORE sporty memories, this time from Angela Harris (nee Bakes) who submitted this 1951 photograph of the netball team from Dorchester Modern School. The girls played against a number of schools including Weymouth and in 1950/51 won the League Shield.

  • Football trophy still going strong in the Scouts

    Maureen Adams has been in touch with Looking Back to give us an update on the whereabouts of the scouts’ football trophy pictured in last week’s paper. She writes: “In ‘Looking Back’ last week you featured a picture sent in by Keith Best of 1st

  • Building up a head of steam

    PROLIFIC fairground author Kay Townsend has returned to the printed page, this time with the history of a fairground family from Dorchester. Kay wrote The Herberts of Dorchester and their Steam following the death of patriarch David George Herbert in

  • Weymouth woman appointed as National Standard Bearer

    A WEYMOUTH standard bearer has beaten competition to fly the flag at national level. Elaine Smith, from the South Dorset branch of the Association of Wrens, has been appointed National Standard Bearer for the next two years. The 55-year-old, who has

  • Relatives of Weymouth man sought by coroner

    THE family of a Weymouth man who died is being sought by the coroner for West Dorset. Henry Bolton, 55, who lived in East Street, died at Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, earlier this month. His death is not suspicious but is being investigated by

  • Spate of car thefts at Dorset beauty spots

    POLICE are warning motorists not to leave valuables in their cars at local beauty spots after a spate of thefts. Three handbags were stolen from vehicles in three separate incidents on Sunday. A car was broken into at Eggardon Hill between 11.30am and

  • Byerley blow for Terras

    STAR striker Warren Byerley requires an operation on an injured knee which could rule him out for the start of next season. The 26-year-old, who has netted 50 goals in 96 games for the Terras over the past two seasons, needs a piece of floating

  • Osmond’s ABA finals quest ends

    TOBY Osmond missed out on a place in the final of the Junior ABA Championships despite a spirited display. Boxing against Strood’s Alfie Little, the Weymouth star made a cautious start to proceedings. His opponent attacked from the off, firing shots

  • Williams hits 92 as Dorset eye quarter-final place

    COACH Alan Willows hailed a “particularly clinical performance” after Dorset had recorded a facile victory over MCCA Trophy holders Berkshire. Aaron Williams, who was awarded his county cap, hit 92 to underpin Dorset’s 234-6 at a sun-drenched Dean Park

  • Langford rattles Bridport

    BRIDPORT 55 (2pts) lost to CATTISTOCK 56-5 (18pts) by five wickets ANOTHER poor batting display saw Bridport suffer a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Cattistock at Charlton Down Cricket Club. Taking to the crease first, the West Dorset outfit

  • Seasiders sunk by Banfield and Stewart in derby

    WEYMOUTH SECONDS 86 (2pts) lost to MARTINSTOWN 87-4 (18pts) by six wickets LIAM Banfield and Ross Stewart took Weymouth Seconds to the cleaners as Martinstown claimed the derby spoils at Redlands in Dorset League Division Two. Batting first on a damp

  • Rob and Dom triumph on the sands

    ROB Semmence and Dom Cosserat triumphed for the second successive week in the Weymouth ‘Go Spike’ Beach Volleyball League. The final on this occasion saw them come up against Jules Stout and Mike Powell, who had battled past Craig Bishop and Stephen