TRIBUTES have been received to one of Britain’s most celebrated contemporary composers, Sir John Tavener, who has died at his home in Dorset aged 69. Sir John, who rose to prominence in the late 1960s when his oratorio The Whale was premiered at
FIREFIGHTERS tackled a chimney fire at a property in Milton Abbas. A spokesperson from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said: “One fire crew from Bere Regis attended the scene in Milton Abbas and tackled the chimney fire using a chimney kit.
BUCKLAND ATHLETIC v BRIDPORT BRIDPORT’S new-found form is set to be put to the test tonight at Buckland Athletic (7.45pm). Manager Trevor Senior was glowing in his praise for the Bees after their 4-2 win at Ilfracombe Town last time out.
OAKMEADIANS 27 BRIDPORT 7 OAKMEADIANS maintained their hopes of an immediate return to Southern Counties South with a bonus-point success at home to Bridport. Their determination to gain promotion from Dorset & Wilts One South showed with
A HUGE solar farm planned for the estate of wealthy MP Richard Drax was given the green light by councillors. The application, which has garnered more than 500 objections, was almost turned down at the meeting of East Dorset District Council’s
THERE’S not a great deal that causes Looking Back to raise an eyebrow in astonishment, but occasionally something does cross its desk and make it mutter a muted ‘I say!’ The latest thing to do just that is a brochure from the Plaza cinema in Dorchester
EVENTS TODAY Weymouth Accordion Club, St Anne’s Hall, Radipole Lane, Weymouth: £1.50, 7.30pm weymouthaccordionclub.org.uk Line Dance Classes, Preston village hall, Preston Road, Preston, Weymouth: £4 for 90 minutes, 7.30pm 01305 773033
PHIL Hammond, the GP turned hospital doctor, writer, broadcaster and comedian, will be appearing at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis on Saturday, November 16 to tell you about the games you can play with your doctor. Medicine is jolly serious – life
WITH the first festive television adverts on the TV, it is time to look ahead to this year’s Christmas entertainment. West Gallery Music is the name, describing the harmony songs, similar in style to Shape-Note, which used to be sung by village
WITH dark nights drawing in, people living in the countryside are being reminded of the need to protect their property. Police receive more reports of burglaries in October and November than any other month of the year. CLA South West Director
Hedgehogs are common visitors in gardens throughout Britain, writes Niina Silvennoinen. Like so many other species, the hedgehog is facing the loss of its natural habitat to development, thus becoming more and more dependent on gardens across the
TRADITIONAL Dorset skills have not only been recognised but will be preserved and formalised for future generations – thanks to a group of West Dorset hedgelayers. For the first time a Dorset class was included in the 35th National Hedgelaying
A WATCH Officer at Portland Coastguard station graduated from Plymouth University. Sarah Callaby-Brown works at Portland Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre on Weymouth harbourside. She graduated from Plymouth University in June with a Bsc
COMMUNITY stalwart Yvonne Beven bid a fond farewell to Portland with a party thrown by friends. Yvonne was an active member of the community on Portland for many years and her friends say she will be very sadly missed. She was the lead organiser
WEYMOUTH couple Harry Hogger and Rhiannon Evans enjoyed the happiest day of their lives as they tied the knot in front of friends and family. Dorset Echo reporter Harry and mental health nursing assistant Rhiannon were married at St Laurence Church
CHILDREN in the South West are ‘feeling crushed’ under the pressure of adult problems. Youngsters in the region are struggling to cope with daily life because of severe problems their parents are facing, according to leading charity Action for
A WEYMOUTH teenager will go to extreme lengths to fundraise for a cancer charity after losing her cousin to the condition. Seventeen-year-old Keely Hills will shave her head on November 16 to raise money for cancer support charity CLIC Sargent
A FREE and confidential local information service will give help to older people in Dorset by informing them of support and facilities available to them. Anyone over 50 can contact their local Wayfinder for a range of useful information on topics
YOUNGSTERS who stepped up to help design their new-look youth centre have celebrated its official opening. The Steps club and improved Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre (WOEC) opened six months ago, but members gathered recently with dignitaries
DORSET’S food drink and culture are being celebrated at the Houses of Parliament today. A total of 15 Dorset food producers have made their way to the event this morning to showcase traditional food and drink from Dorset to Members of Parliament
A BREEZE block was used to smash a car window in Weymouth, police said. Damage was caused to an unattended vehicle on Cambridge Road, Granby Industrial Estate between November 7-8. Offenders smashed the passenger's side rear window using a
VETERANS are invited to a monthly rendezvous in Weymouth tomorrow. The Veterans’ Meeting will be held at the Wings Club, Maiden Street, on Wednesday, November 13 from 10am-12noon. Poppy Butcher invites veterans to come along. The event
A DORSET youngster is set for success in his chosen sport after being given special glasses. Aspiring motocross racer Dylan Fayers, six, was diagnosed as having amblyopia, or a lazy eye, which meant it was difficult for him to judge the depth of
THE Weymouth FC Supporters Association has launched a new Player Budget Fund at the Bob Lucas Stadium. The initiative will provide additional funds towards the playing budget through donations and it has already received the backing of the former
PEOPLE are being urged to stay safe as the latest firefighters strike is announced for tomorrow between 10am and 2pm. Members of the Fire Brigades Union are striking because of an ongoing row about pensions. Dorset Fire and Rescue Service is
DORCHESTER Day Centre has a brand new look thanks to the efforts of youngsters. A team of young people on the Prince’s Trust scheme pulled out all the stops to decorate three rooms at the day centre, much to the delight of staff and users.
A DORCHESTER photographer is helping to put a smile on youngsters’ faces this Christmas by supporting the Echo’s Toy Appeal. Greg Cameron-Day runs a photography studio in Durngate Street, specialising in family and children’s portraiture. His
HOLLYWOOD star Michael Sheen has been spotted enjoying West Dorset hospitality at a Beaminster hotel. The actor and members of the production team of Far from the Madding Crowd chose the quiet location as their base during filming. As the cast
Thank you Dorset for the remembrance services, and the laying of wreaths – and of prayers – to help us to remember not only those who made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives, but also those who were prepared to, and, in the cadet forces,
Might I suggest that Councilor Kate Wheller addresses herself to more pressing matters than her dog bashing debate. Especially, the amount of refuse left by humans on our beach. Following the recent bonfire and fireworks display, there are
As a local business owner, unfortunately I never seem to be shocked that the council plans to sell off everything, or shut down anything that brings money into the town. Unfortunately the borough council is out of touch, out of date, with no clue
A HEROIC dad has been praised for tackling a fire that tore through a block of Weymouth flats. Gary Bell leapt into action when he opened his front door to find black smoke and what he described as 5ft high flames billowing in the communal hallway
MID-TABLE mediocrity beckons for the Terras this season unless the whole squad starts stepping up to the plate, according to Jason Matthews. The experienced keeper feels his side are under-achieving at present and must begin showing the necessary
BEN Ward should find out soon whether or not he will get the chance to mix it with the best darts players on the planet at the PDC World Championships. The Dorchester ace looks odds-on for a place in the preliminary round after finishing as runner-up
A TREE of fire grown in West Dorset has become a pot of gold after it produced a world record 2,407 chillies worth £900. The 5ft plant yielded a 22lbs glut of Dorset Naga chillies, one of the hottest strains in the world. Grower Joy Michaud
NEW waymarks on the Dorset coast that aim to encourage people to explore the natural environment are nearing completion. The Wild about Weymouth and Portland Legacy Trail allows visitors to walk across 20 million years of Jurassic time from Littlemoor
A MAJOR housing development is being proposed for a disused quarry on Portland. The application from Portland Stone Firms Ltd proposes 69 cottages and flats at the former works stockyard at Bottom Coombe, off Park Road. But the plan, which
TWO lucky swans have made a speedy recovery after a mystery illness struck a Weymouth nature reserve. They are the only two out of the 16 birds found suffering from the disease at Radipole Lake to survive. One of the pair, an adult female swan
