HOW many big cats are there roaming around Dorset? Four sheep belonging to East Dorset smallholders were mauled by a large animal at the weekend and the owners wonder if a puma-type animal is responsible. Carol Fenemore rang the Daily Echo after reading
THE alleged sighting of a big cat last weekend on Bournemouth's West Cliff brought memories flooding back for Branksome woman Carol Lewis. Two years ago Carol came face to face with a large dark brown cat as she walked home from the beach along Alum Chine
HOTELIERS are pinning their hopes on a combination of free events and fine weather to bring in the crowds this bank holiday weekend. Traditionally the last bumper weekend of the year, a good August bank holiday could round off a positive season for Bournemouth
"WE'RE no longer prisoners in our own homes" is the cry of relief from residents at the Silent Woman Park near Bere Regis. Civic chiefs have decided that fireproofing the park homes will be enough to meet safety regulations - not a six-metre safety gap
IT has already been recognised for its animal welfare work, but Monkey World has now received an award for its services to visitors. The ape rescue centre, near Wareham, has been presented with the Service Excellency Award as part of the Guide Dogs for
IF you've ever sat and watched a movie and thought to yourself, 'Wow, a seven-year-old could have come up with this', you're going to have something to say about The Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl In 3-D. Because a seven-year-old really did spark
THIS week's open air film at Corfe Castle features the king of derring-do - Errol Flynn - in Michael Curtiz's classic swashbuckler, The Sea Hawk. Flynn plays, Geoffrey Thorpe, an adventurous and dashing pirate, who feels that he should raid the Spanish
SPOOKILY similar in theme to the British horror film The Descent, Bruce Hunt's subterranean thriller promises gore and thrills aplenty in the dark. A group of biologists stumble upon an ancient, untouched ecosystem in a labyrinthine network of caves beneath
BARELY have the reality scars from Big Brother VI had time to heal when yet another circus of freaks rolls into town in the shape of The X Factor (ITV1, Saturday). Loud egomaniacs with crazy hair, dodgy outfits and tonnes of slap - and that's just the
FRIENDLY Steve Kerley, a well-known Poole character who frequently sat in his wheelchair chatting to people, has died at the age of 45. He was often seen in Wimborne Road on sunny afternoons, talking and waving to people who went by. John McBride, chief
BACK when house was first exerting its grip on the capital's clubs, most of the early movers and, indeed, shakers still found space to make long lost nuggets of 70s disco and soul speak to the saucer-eyed love cats ripping up the dancefloors. And those
JUST for a while there it looked like BRMC were in deep trouble - bust-ups with label, management and each other resulted in a protracted silence while their turn-of-the-century contemporaries (White Stripes, Strokes etc) cleaned up. But this new record
WONDERFULLY intriguing, fabulously rewarding package of extravagantly recorded new versions of legendary Bollywood composer RD Burman's finest movie score moments from the 1960s-1980s. The Kronos Quartet have long played in the field where music and film
AND for their next trick, the rag-bag Cymru psychedelicists make a record in Catalonia, mix it in Rio and centre it heaven - for it really is a thing of rare beauty that makes the world a far happier place to be in. Good, I'm glad that's out of my system
UNSECURED creditors of the old AFC Bournemouth company - which preceded the current Community Club - will have to wait another year before being paid. They are due to receive an interim dividend under the Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) set up following
TWO Dorset teenagers fly to South Africa next week to work with babies orphaned with Aids and with abused children in a safe house. Michaela Nairn, 18, and Philippa Skinner, 18 on Sunday, have already proved they have the initiative - having have raised
STAGE: Jim Davidson: Lighthouse, Poole Controversial comic Jim Davidson may have re-located to Dubai but it doesn't mean that he's becoming a stranger to these shores as a performer. He brings his latest triple X-rated, adults only stand-up show to Lighthouse
CRICKET star Shane Warne has paid his own personal tribute to young Oakley Waterman who has died from cancer. The Australian leg spinner wore a black armband throughout yesterday's opening day of the fourth Test match against England after hearing of
BILLED as "Kes with guns", this slice of gritty urban Brit-drama has much to commend it. Straight out of youth custody, Ricky (Ashley Walters, aka Asher D) is determined to stay straight even though his running mate Wisdom (Leon Black) wants him back
A GRATEFUL mum said an emotional thank-you to children who helped build a play area for her disabled son. Nine-year-old Paul Lewis from Portland is autistic, hyperactive, has epilepsy, a kidney condition and no sense of danger. For years, his mother Amanda
A PENSIONER is leading a community battle to recapture a park that has been taken over by yobs and drug addicts. Marie Meter said she was forced to act after no longer feeling safe in the park, just yards from her Weymouth home. Widow Mrs Meter says Chapelhay
ONE thing is certain, if you've got a DVD player on your Sun-seeker and you plan on watching this afloat then you're "gonna need a bigger boat". Spielberg's first massive success needs no introduction, but it's still as tense and gripping as it was when
MEMBERS of Milford Royal British Legion are backing the campaign to keep the village's War Memorial Hospital open. Senior members of the branch went to the hospital to see for themselves the good work carried out by staff there and to take a look at the
LITTER louts in Blandford could soon face on-the-spot fines. Campaigners are urging the police and council chiefs to enforce the penalties on people spotted dropping rubbish in the streets. The move follows a large increase in littering in certain parts
AN INDEPENDENT adjudicator has heard the arguments for and against increasing pupil numbers at Highcliffe School. A special meeting was held at the Christchurch secondary this week where parties from both sides of the debate laid out their stalls over
A DRIVER has told how his coach was shunted off a mountain road killing six people including Bournemouth musician David Hamilton. An inquest heard Martin Faulhuber tell how a reckless attempt to overtake by an elderly minibus driver led his coach to plummet
FEISTY Holly Kishere - aka Miss Bournemouth - plans to do battle in more ways than one when she takes part in the Miss England finals in September. The 17-year-old from King John Avenue in Bearwood, has been practising body combat as part of her preparation
HOW many big cats are there roaming around Dorset? Four sheep belonging to East Dorset smallholders were mauled by a large animal at the weekend and the owners wonder if a puma-type animal is responsible. Carol Fenemore rang the Daily Echo after reading
NEVER judge a book by its cover, or a film by its unwieldy title. The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants sounds alarmingly like a chick flick about mobile lingerie saleswomen. Although Ken Kwapis' enjoyable feature is indeed a chick flick (targeted at
SPOOKILY similar in theme to the British horror film The Descent, Bruce Hunt's subterranean thriller promises gore and thrills aplenty in the dark. A group of biologists stumble upon an ancient, untouched ecosystem in a labyrinthine network of caves beneath
"YEEEE Haaaaawww!" is an (overused) catchphrase desperately in search of a decent movie. There are only so many times you can listen to fun-loving cousins Bo (Seann William Scott) and Luke Duke (Johnny Knoxville) scream with rootin' tootin' delight before
The 40 Year Old Virgin (15) UCI, ABC (previews Sat, Sun, Mon only) Early reports suggest this reworking of the time-honoured high school 'losing it' comedy is hilarious. Steve Carrell and Catherine Keener star. The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl
"YEEEE Haaaaawww!" is an (overused) catchphrase desperately in search of a decent movie. There are only so many times you can listen to fun-loving cousins Bo (Seann William Scott) and Luke Duke (Johnny Knoxville) scream with rootin' tootin' delight before
IF you've ever sat and watched a movie and thought to yourself, 'Wow, a seven-year-old could have come up with this', you're going to have something to say about The Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl In 3-D. Because a seven-year-old really did spark
NEVER judge a book by its cover, or a film by its unwieldy title. The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants sounds alarmingly like a chick flick about mobile lingerie saleswomen. Although Ken Kwapis' enjoyable feature is indeed a chick flick (targeted at
A PROTEST march demanding the scrapping of a "This is a local tip for local people" rule hits Poole next week. A cross-boundary day of action will see disgruntled householders from Upton and Corfe Mullen descend on Poole demanding free access to Nuffield
FIREFIGHTERS at Poole are objecting to being moved out of the town centre to a brand new fire station on the outskirts. And they have warned if the new fire station goes ahead then the Hamworthy station's days are numbered. "I believe I can guarantee
Jim Davidson: Lighthouse, Poole Controversial comic Jim Davidson may have re-located to Dubai but it doesn't mean that he's becoming a stranger to these shores as a performer. He brings his latest triple X-rated, adults only stand-up show to Lighthouse
THE Kachepa family were facing an uncertain future in Malawi today following an emotional farewell in Weymouth. Campaigners are now setting up a support network with churches in Africa to help the family settle into what could be a hostile environment
CLIFFORD worries that he costs too much to feed. So he kisses Emily-Elizabeth and sets off to join the travelling animal show, hoping to win a lifetime supply of Tummy Yummies. Cleo and T-Bone won't let their big red pal walk off on his own and the fun
BEACH donkeys in Weymouth were today named the best group in the region by animal experts. Operator Margaret Aldridge is delighted her six-strong herd has scooped the accolade of coming first in the South East category of the 2005 Britain's Best Beach
PET LOVERS and their four-legged friends will be leading the way at a Weymouth dog show. The Retired Greyhound Trust are hoping pets will mean prizes at the show at Furzedown Stables in Lynch Lane, Weymouth, on Sunday, August 28. The event is open to
A BBC3 comedy that never managed to rise above its obscure home, The Mighty Boosh is about three steps behind its intentions. Howard Moon (Julian Barratt) and Vince Noir (Noel Fielding) are zoo workers with the proverbial strange bunch of colleagues.
A SCENT bottle with a royal connection sold for a record £10,350 at Dorchester auctioneers Dukes. The Victorian glass scent bottle, in the form of a swan's head, captured the imagination of bidders from around the world at a recent auction. The silver
