A WEYMOUTH man told how he survived Typhoon Haiyan in a town the superstorm razed to the ground.

Peter Fisher, 63, was in Peerless, near Tacloban in the Philippines visiting his wife Noemi, 33, when the typhoon struck through the village at 250mph.

The Echo launched a Typhoon Appeal, in partnership with the Disasters Emergency Committee, and generous readers raised more than £7,000 to help those involved rebuild their lives.

  •  A FAMILY moving house from Glasgow to Weymouth had their worldly possessions destroyed when their removal lorry burst into flames on the A31.

Moments after the dramatic blaze started the two lorry drivers managed to escape the vehicle and said they were ‘lucky to be alive’.

Fortunately, driver Alan Cameron, 40, managed to pull the vehicle over in time before it was engulfed in 30-foot flames.

  • TRADE in Weymouth and Portland was dealt a heavy blow after two key businesses closed suddenly with the loss of dozens of jobs.

The Boat That Rocks venue at Portland Marina and The Clipper pub in Weymouth town centre both shut their doors.

  • THE Dorset Echo launched a campaign to save families from the devastating effects of drink and drug-driving during the festive season this year.

We teamed up with Dorset Police to name and shame those who were changed with either offence during December.