TRAINS are not the only things getting steamed up at Swanage Railway. Saucy jokes that would have made funnyman Benny Hill proud are bursting out all over the volunteer railway's latest calendar. Each month features a picture in the style of a saucy seaside
BRIDPORT failed to respond to a challenging target set by St Georges at the Brewery Ground on Sunday. They were asked to score 200 in 45 overs to record their seventh NSA Sunday Division Two win of the season. But their ten-man team never came to terms
A NEW era for the Vernon Payne Memorial match dawned at the Brewery Ground on Monday when the two teams competed for the cup for the first time. Matches have been played in memory of the long-serving former Bridport cricketer for 31 years but this year's
POOLE MP Robert Syms is backing the growing protest against a "fortress" for police prisoners in a Bourne Valley residential area. Mr Syms has written to Dorset Police Authority expressing his grave concerns, which are shared by Bourne Valley ward councillors
FAMILIES who fear the streets will be overrun with ex-offenders are uniting to keep their community crime-free. Worried residents of Weymouth's Park District are holding a public meeting tonight where they intend to voice their concern over any future
CAMPAIGNERS today hit out at plans by Prince Charles to raise £5 million for his two sons from 300 new homes at Poundbury in Dorchester. They branded the proposal to create allowance funds for Princes William and Harry as profiteering on the back of the
DO YOU recognise the photograph above? It was found by the sales tills on the first floor of Marks & Spencer in St Mary Street, Weymouth, by a member of staff. The picture shows a young woman and an older woman standing on a path with a road and a
THE smell from a stinking drain has been making Weymouth residents physically sick for the last three years. Bill Morris and his wife Marlene, who have lived in Alma Road for 15 years, say the sickly stench fills their garden whenever the sun shines.
PENSIONER Doris Barton from Dorchester turned techno-wizard when she took an Age Concern computer course. Doris was one of 20 people who received certificates from the charity at the end of a six-week course, teaching older people how to use computers
RENAMED developer Quays Group - which acquired five Orb Estates properties - has committed a further £100 million to its aggressive expansion programme. AIM-listed Quays (formerly Alexanders) has acquired five companies that between them own five properties
THEY may only be chairs but they are the seats on which very famous bottoms have perched. And now, thanks to a Poole Hospital doctor, they look set to make thousands of pounds for a children's charity. Some of the world's biggest stars including Brad
THOUSANDS soaked up the party atmosphere of this year's truly Great Dorset Steam Fair's biggest day on Saturday. With around 26,000 people staying on the site visitor numbers swelled that figure to over 50,000 as the event reached its peak at the weekend
A CHRISTCHURCH man is getting ready to pedal for his life when he sets off on a coast-to-coast trip on Saturday. Dave Colley, 34, is cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats in aid of the Brockenhurst Gateway Club. Using his own Cannondale bike, Dave
TRAINS are not the only things getting steamed up at Swanage Railway. Saucy jokes that would have made funnyman Benny Hill proud are bursting out all over the volunteer railway's latest calendar. Each month features a picture in the style of a saucy seaside
FOR too long Swanage has been the black hole on the coast without any twinkling lights to boast of - but that is about to change. While seaside resorts like Bournemouth and Weymouth delight visitors with decorative lights bedecking lampposts and buildings
CHILDREN under 12 are allowed to see films carry a 12 rating at the cinema for the first time. A new advisory category 12A was introduced at the weekend by the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC). Spiderman has been relaunched nationwide with the new
BOURNEMOUTH'S Gary Emerson finished joint 63rd on two-under par at the BMW International Open in Germany at the weekend. Emerson had rounds of 69, 71, 74 and 72. The event was won by Thomas Bjorn of Denmark with Berhard Langer in second.
Bridgwater Tn 0 Bridport 0 BRIDPORT would have been delighted to settle for a draw at the start, but this fine display at Fairfax Park was worth all three points. Even Bridgwater manager Trevor Senior - the former Bees boss - admitted after the match
MARTYN SEKJER is celebrating the greatest moment in his bowls career after winning the English singles title at Worthing. The 45-year-old former international, who lives at Verwood, rewrote the history books with a devastating 21-2 victory over Watford's
SWANAGE AND WAREHAM kicked off their season with a comprehensive 32-14 home win over Brixham in the Powergen Cup first round. See Wednesday's Echo (Sept 4) for a full report and pictures.
REFEREE Michael Ryan could become a regular in Sean O'Driscoll's fantasy football team after his first-half assist threw the underfire Cherries boss a lifeline. O'Driscoll must have felt like he had been sentenced to death row when he was given a six-match
BRIDPORT put on one of their best FA Cup displays of recent times, but again found soccer's glamour competition does them no favours at all. The Bees matched their Dr Martens League opponents blow for blow during a thrilling preliminary-round tie at St
IF Tony Rickardsson wins his fifth World title this year he will probably look back on one of speedway's truly great rides as the key turning point of his 2002 challenge. The Pirates spearhead looked down and out in the semi-final of the Scandinavian
ATHLETES tested their endurance when they took part in the three-day Enduroman Chesil Challenge. The final stage of the event was set to take place today after iron men and women flocked to Portland to swim, cycle and run more than 200 miles around Dorset
FAMILIES are demanding answers about a plan to turn a house into a hostel for former offenders. Residents say they are worried about who will be living in the property in Glen Avenue, Weymouth. And they are concerned that Blandford-based Signpost Housing
ELVIS PRESLEY fever struck Weymouth as impersonators sang their hearts out at the town's first rock and pop festival. Over 2,000 people watched the contestants for the Elvis competition hit the town. The contestants received the full star treatment as
KYLIE turned up the heat on Weymouth beach in the Lotto Live Roadshow in front of crowds of people joining in the fun. The Kylie tribute band joined presenter Kevin Duala, star of children's TV channel Nickelodeon and other bands to promote the National
DORSET'S police force is efficient and effective, according to inspectors. The praise from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) follows a review in April this year looking at various areas of force performance, particularly call-handling
THE new chief executive of Dorset Ambulance Trust has moved to counter rumours of low staff morale. Staff are said to be unhappy after an NHS performance rating scheme awarded the ambulance trust one star out of a possible three. The trust was assessed
RESIDENTS have spoken out against plans to fly classic aircraft from an historic airfield at a public meeting. Applicants Tarrant Rushton Aircraft Association want to lay a grass airstrip at an eastern boundary of the disused airfield at Tarrant Rushton
