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Olympic facts relay planned for Weymouth and Portland

Stuart Morris, left, and Simon Raynes Stuart Morris, left, and Simon Raynes

AN OLYMPIC relay with a difference is being held to mark the 1,000 days to the 2012 Games in Weymouth and Portland.

Team Dorset wants a countdown of 1,000 facts in the run-up to the sailing events – one for every day from October 31 onwards.

Now it has called for people to submit their own interesting facts and snippets about the county.

Simon Raynes, who is vice chairman of the Olympic Legacy Committee, Dorset Strategic Partnership, said: “Dorset people seem to be shy when saying what makes them great.

“This is a tremendous way for us to find out things which demonstrate the versatility and talent present in our county.

“I cannot wait to see these facts emerge as the countdown to the event continues.”

The 1,000 days countdown – which begins on October 31 – will feature a build up of celebrations to mark Dorset’s involvement as the host for sailing events.

A fact will be displayed on the Team Dorset website and other leading sites each day until the start of the Games in July 2012.

Historian and author Stuart Morris, from Portland, said: “I am sure people will be able to find 1,000 facts about Dorset.

“It should be interesting to see what people come up with. Dorset is a place of contrasts. Every town and village has its own story and every story is different. They are all fascinating.”

The facts are being arranged in five categories. They are heritage and culture, food, sport, people and business. Team Dorset is asking people to keep the facts short and brief.

To submit ‘fascinating facts about Dorset’, click on to teamdorset.org.uk and follow the links from the top page menu. A printed copy of the form can be picked up from the main reception of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

Comments(11)

Duckorange says...
9:56am Wed 30 Sep 09

FACT! Weymouth & Portland was chosen for the sailing events 2012 Games thanks to the endless stream of hot air coming from complaining locals powering the boats

Duckorange says...
10:00am Wed 30 Sep 09

FACT! The new Portland Gas Caverns mean that the Olympic Flame will not be allowed on the island. The resulting explosion could "completely wreck the games" says a worried Lord Coe

Duckorange says...
10:15am Wed 30 Sep 09

FACT! Olympic host Weymouth derives its name from Custom House built by the harbourside as a point-of-entry for butterflies and exotic insects in the Middle Ages. Literally "Weigh Moth"

Fabian says...
11:07am Wed 30 Sep 09

Schoolboy Fact:
A foreign ship that docked at Weymouth in 1348 is believed to have brought the Black Death to England.

Duckorange says...
12:15pm Wed 30 Sep 09

FACT! The last woman burned as a witch in Dorset was one Ethel Cockington of the Isle of Portland "sent to face ya hars'st judgment of her maker for ye heinous crymes of encourag'ng the propagation of foul, deadly ; caus'ng ye foam'ng DEATH of sheepe belong'ng to Jas Cooper Esq; and lay'ng ye CURSE of idiocy on every first-born son of FORTUNE'S WELL".
Due to restrictive EU environmental regulations, Portland Town Council are committed to replacing witch burning with the ducking stool by 2012.

Duckorange says...
12:18pm Wed 30 Sep 09

I'll try that last one again. I'm not making this up, you know:

FACT! The last woman burned as a witch in Dorset was one Ethel Cockington of the Isle of Portland "sent to face ya harsh'st judgment of her maker for ye heinous crymes of encourag'ng the propagation of foul, deadly (word deleted, presumably 'rabbits') ; caus'ng ye foam'ng DEATH of sheepe belong'ng to Jas Cooper Esq; and lay'ng ye CURSE of idiocy on every first-born son of FORTUNE'S WELL". Due to restrictive EU environmental regulations, Portland Town Council are committed to replacing witch burning with the ducking stool by 2012.

Duckorange says...
1:56pm Wed 30 Sep 09

FACT! Jurassic Coast fossil-hunters in Dorset are faced with a fascinating new mystery: the discovery of the petrified remains of a nuclear-powered 1980s De Lorean sports car embedded fifty feet up the cliffs at Charmouth, inside the fossilised bones of a long-dead Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Duckorange says...
8:32pm Wed 30 Sep 09

FACT! Excavations for the long-awaited Weymouth Relief Road have thrown new light on how long the town has waited for the route to be built. Archaeologists working on the Ridgeway above the resort have discovered a Dark Age burial pit containing a group of headless corpses, many of whom were carrying placards bearing the words "Ende ye Siege! Releefe Road NOW!" and "Save Ye Ocean Roome!"

Duckorange says...
8:45pm Wed 30 Sep 09

FACT! Readers who have been amused or annoyed by the small boy in the television advert who says "I want to have a poo at Paul's house!" may be interested to learn that Paul lives in Prince Charles's picturesque Dorset village of Poundbury, where his house boasts the luxury of an inside toilet.

wykeman says...
1:26am Thu 1 Oct 09

Thanks Duckorange,
I can't beat those, but on a culinary level, Dorset is the only county to produce a biscuit that the E.U says will only be made in dorset as no-one any-where wants to pass as their own.- namily Moores Dorset Knob, an unsweet disaccated doughball which lacks any biscuity properties and is only suitable for -a) a fishing floatation aid b) lightweight aggregate for concreting c) replacement for the Army's rubber bullets or d) chocolate +Flavour+ softness+ flavour+ fresh cream ( sorry French Profiteroles have benten us to it!)

siratb says...
4:11pm Thu 1 Oct 09

FACT: Olympic sailing is not a spectator sport and I wish the estate agents would remember this when pricing property.

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