TICKETS are now on sale for the first anniversary show of the Bridport Comedy Cafe which returns next week. After a summer break the comedy returns to the Bridport Arts Centre’s Cafe with another line up of new talent next Friday. Hosting the
GUESTS were given a warm welcome as a union between two towns was celebrated. Mayor of Weymouth and Portland Margaret Leicester led a delegation to the borough’s twin town of Louviers in France. Reminding town officials that the borough had
A DELIGHTED mother-of-three has had a hospital suite named after her after raising thousands of pounds for Dorchester ’s maternity ward. Clare Stokes, of Woolston Road, Dorchester, raised £2,707.60 for the Dorset County Hospital Maternity Ward
A VETERAN who was stationed in Weymouth during the Second World War has revisited the town after 68 years to celebrate his birthday. Clifford Guard, of Swansea, was stationed in the town in June 1944 before being deployed to Omaha Beach in the
THE Dorset Echo Jobs Fair is back by popular demand. Job seekers are invited to our second jobs fair in Dorchester on November 8 from 10.30am to 5.30pm. The jobs fair, which is being held at the Dorford Centre in Bridport Road, will enable
CYCLISTS can go continental on a new biking route linking the county with Normandy, Brittany and Jersey. The Petit Tour de Manche is one of three new cycling routes being created as part of a £6.8 million project to link the two nations of France
A TEENAGER from Weymouth will be ditching her phone and hair dryer to raise money for a volunteering trip to India. Grace Passoni, 18, of Broadwey , is planning to go “unplugged” for a week which means no phone, TV, internet or any other electrical
TWO men were attacked by a gang in Weymouth in separate incidents within a few minutes of each other. Police are appealing for information about the assaults which happened late on Monday afternoon. Details have just been released. The
COUNCILLORS have vowed to act after complaints about ‘dangerous’ parking on Dorchester’s roads. At a meeting of the town council’s traffic panel, a recommendation to introduce time-limited parking on Queen’s Avenue was given the green light to
A MAN found dead with a shotgun wound to the chest was ‘fed up’ after losing a friend and three dogs, an inquest was told. Stephen Ernest Whitehand’s former partner Madeleine Thorn found his body in his bed at his home at Salisbury Road, Blandford
TIME IS running out for Dorset charities hoping to get their hands on a cash boost. US media firm Gannett that owns the Dorset Echo’s publisher Newsquest is offering registered charities the chance, through the charitable arm of the company, to
OLYMPIC rings that greeted visitors to the Games in Weymouth and Portland are to find a new home on Portland. The Portland stone rings, which were on display outside Weymouth Railway Station during the Olympics will be unveiled at New Ground on
Mass media and the Industrial Revolution are two of the subjects on offer as part of Workers’ Educational Association courses in Bridport this autumn. Tutor Terence Hunt will introduce students to sociology and the media in six sessions on Tuesdays
AFTER a year of discussions the Friends of Wool Library group are nearing the takeover of the village library. The group was set up as Wool was one of nine libraries faced with the withdrawal of core funding from Dorset County Council and is now
One of West Dorset’s most sparkling business success stories is celebrating the transformation of a dairy farm into one of the UK's leading wineries. West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin was on hand at the Furleigh Estate at Salway Ash to open a new tasting
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a burger van was stolen from a car park. CCTV footage, right, has been released of the theft, which took place at 7.16pm on Sunday, September 2 at the Butts Pond Industrial Estate in Sturminster Newton.
The revamp of a town centre oasis is under way to create new cycle paths, a wildlife haven and a green breathing space. More than 400 young trees are being provided to help transform the Asker Meadows in Bridport thanks to a local woman’s initiative
DORCHESTER Town have signed Arran Pugh from crisis-club Truro City. The towering defender is currently recovering from a broken hand and is therefore expected to take a place among the substitutes for Saturday's FA Cup tie with Wootton Bassett
A CONSORTIUM of NHS trusts reviewing pay, terms and conditions in the South West has received fresh criticism. Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is among 20 trusts in the region that have joined forces to look at how they can reduce pay
POWERBOAT navigator Dan Whapples is showing signs of improvement after he was injured in a horrific high-speed crash in Weymouth Bay. Mr Whapples, 32, from Warsash, suffered from serious multiple injuries in the horrific accident which happened
A PAEDOPHILE who routinely abused a girl from the age of three has been jailed for ten years. Stephen Paul Hockey , 59, was told his victim was still suffering as he was jailed in connection with four charges of indecent assault dating back more
THE world’s oldest paperboy is still delivering the Echo at the age of 92. Pensioner Ted Ingram has had a paper round in Winter-borne Monkton for 70 years. He had to give up riding his bike for deliveries since he had his hip replaced but gets
As with many events the Weymouth Bike Night has fallen foul of the weather this year and numbers have been lower than they were previously. From classics to modern customs, scooters, bikes or trikes it is a social time in a beautiful setting on the
A HISTORIC house was destroyed in a major blaze. More than 20 firefighters tackled the fire in the village of Moreton yesterday afternoon. Crews made a desperate bid to salvage the belongings from the thatched house as the fire raged. Dorset
It was frustrating to read that someone who wanted to sign the e-petition to save the Coastguard Search And Rescue helicopter, found that they were unable to register their vote as the petition was stated as closed. I would like to emphasise that
The recent letter from Chris Holmes published on September 11 is a classic example of a total misunderstanding of the planning process. The role of a planning committee is akin to that of a jury hearing a criminal case. Whether the jury likes or
A COW became stuck in the mud on a common in east Dorset. Fire crews were called in at 7.46pm yesterday to assist the animal as its back legs were trapped in a waterlogged ditch at the common, off Wimborne Road, Poole. Firefighters from Wimborne and
FIRE crews tackled a 'significant' chimney fire in Martinstown, near Dorchester on the same night that a chimney blaze caused devastation in Moreton. At 7.50pm last night, a crew from Dorchester attened the blaze and used a chimney kit to extinguish
CRAIG Duff’s disallowed goal was a pivotal moment in last night’s 2-0 defeat at Frome Town, according to Weymouth boss Brendon King. The midfielder’s header on 28 minutes would have put the Terras ahead but the referee ruled it out for a push on
A TRACTOR and 11 small hay bales were damaged in a fire at Baglake Farm, Litton Cheney. Dorset Fire and Rescue Service were called to the blaze at 6.10pm yesterday. Firefighters from Blandford and Bridport attended and found the fire to be inside a
I thought Vic Griffith’s letter in the Echo was superb. Once again it has shown the councils is not fit to be in charge, they just waste money. What on earth can we do to get some sanity back. Charles Baker, Easton , Portland
Dorchester Town will take the soft approach in their pursuit of Harry Cornick. Boss Phil Simkin ran the rule over the sought-after winger in Christchurch’s 3-1 victory over New Milton Town on Tuesday night. The former was suitably impressed
FROME TOWN 2 (Perrott 43, Evans 47) WEYMOUTH 0 THE Robins struck either side of the interval as Weymouth’s frustrating start to the season continued at the Alder Smith Stadium last night. Mike Perrott and Dean Evans did the damage for Frome
DAVE Kiteley believes it is only a matter of time until Dorchester Town Reserves reap their rewards. The young Magpies are still searching for their first win of the season following four straight defeats in the Wyvern Premier League. However
WEYMOUTH UNDER-18s 1 BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS 4 REX Buttle felt his young Terras let themselves and the club down during their ill-tempered FA Youth Cup exit against Bemerton Heath. The hosts held their own early on with Brandon Heal wiping
WEYMOUTH LADIES 2 FROME TOWN LADIES 0 BIANCA Randall and Philippa Holden were both on target as Weymouth overcame Frome Town at the Bob Lucas Stadium. The Terras went into this South West League Premier Division encounter full of confidence
BRIDPORT 29 OAKMEADIANS SECONDS 0 BRIDPORT made a dream start to the season with a commanding victory over Oakmeadians Seconds. After seeing their opening-day clash at Bournemouth Thirds postponed, the Blues made up for the disappointment in
MORE than 50 members gathered around the green at Melcombe Regis for the annual club competitions. The prestigious men’s singles title went to Doug Plumpton as he saw off John Samways 21-15 in a hard-fought battle. Bill Bailey defeated Den
