Archive

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Nationwide makes bold promise ahead of Fairer Share £100 announcement

While major banks continue disappearing from Britain’s high streets, Nationwide Building Society is making a very different bet on the future of face-to-face banking. The building society has pledged to keep all 605 of its branches open until at

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Government banking review as Santander, NatWest and Lloyds close branches

Britain’s disappearing bank branches are under the spotlight after ministers launched a major review into the impact closures are having on communities across the country. The Government says it is increasingly concerned that elderly customers,

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Man arrested on suspicion of arson after fire in historic Grade II building

A MAN in his 30s from Somerset was arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire in historic Grade II-listed building in Sherborne. Dorset Police has said they have made an arrest following detailed enquiries into a report of a suspicious fire in

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Crack down on anti social behaviour at property

A property has been handed a partial closure notice following reports of drug use and antisocial behaviour in North Dorset. Dorset Police officer PC Ash attended court today where a Partial Closure Order was granted on an address in Gillingham,

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The 'excellent' Dorset country park with 'stunning' scenery and so much to do

A Dorset country park has been praised for its "stunning" scenery, alongside having so many activities to do. Moors Valley Country Park is located close to the border with Hampshire at Ashley Heath and has been officially operating since 1988.

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Lorne Castle charged with GBH after 'altercation'

A FORMER Dorset Police officer has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm when he stepped in to detain a suspected shoplifter. Lorne Castle, 47, is accused of seriously injuring Daniel Meyrick during an altercation outside the Castlepoint

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Teenager guilty of rape after locking woman in seafront toilets

A TEENAGER has been found guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman in a portable toilet on Bournemouth seafront. Mohammed Abdullah, 19, from Syria, was convicted following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court of the rape and assault by penetration of

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Family and friends to tackle night trek in tribute to much-loved mum

SIXTEEN people all inspired by one woman will take part in a fundraiser tomorrow. The MoonWalk London raises vital funds for breast cancer research, prevention, and support services. When entering the challenge participants can choose to walk a

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Two men 'climb balcony to get into flat' in brazen afternoon burglary

Two men scaled a balcony to gain entry to a property in an alleged burglary. There was an increased police presence yesterday afternoon in the area of Corscombe Close, Weymouth following reports of a burglary. Police received reports from local

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Officers nominated for bravery award after preventing man from falling from bridge

Two Dorset Police officers are being praised for their extraordinary bravery after they prevented a distressed man from falling from a railway bridge. The pair have since been nominated for a National Police Bravery Awards following the incident

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Just hours left to have your say on fire station closures

There is just a matter of hours for people to have their say on the proposed closure of Dorset fire stations. (Image: Supplied) A number of on-call fire station closures have been put forward by Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

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Dorset skatepark sees record visitors after £75,000 phase one revamp

A SKATEPARK has seen record visitor numbers following a major refurbishment after £75,000 was raised by the community.  Swanage Skatepark Community Project (SSCP) has reported a surge in use since the completion of phase one in January. Swanage

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Emmerdale boss confirms two new arrivals are heading to the ITV soap

Emmerdale fans are set to welcome two new faces in the coming months. The fresh arrivals are expected later this year to strengthen two of the show's families - the Tates and the Sugdens. Emmerdale boss Laura Shaw revealed plans to expand the

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Investigation after sack of roofing materials dumped on busy route

A council is investigating after a sack of roofing materials was illegally dumped on a busy route. The fly-tipped materials were discovered close to Zig Zag Hill, near Shaftesbury last weekend. A second incident also took place at the end of

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Killer hornet nest sighted in Dorset

A sighting of an invasive species has been reported in west Dorset. A yellow-legged Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) nest has reportedly been spotted in Swyre. Last year, the UK recorded 544 confirmed yellow-legged hornet sightings, with 162 nests

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Town set for music, magic and family fun as free fair returns this weekend

A quirky event celebrating a 700-year tradition, hailed as one of Bridport's standout annual highlights, returns this weekend. Bridport Community Charter Fair is on Saturday, May 16 with entertainment in Bucky Doo Square and on the Millennium Green

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Ryanair staff to receive big bonuses for catching out customers 'you will be charged'

Ryanair staff could soon see higher commissions for catching passengers with oversized cabin bags. The airline currently pays staff €2.50 for every oversized bag identified. Passengers caught breaking baggage rules are charged €75. Ryanair

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Channel 4 axes 'entertaining' comedy after just 1 series despite BAFTA nomination

Channel 4 has axed a BAFTA-nominated comedy after just one series. Pushers follows a disabled woman, Emily Dawkins, who unexpectedly becomes a drug dealer. The six-part series, which aired in 2025, was co-written/created by comedian Rosie Jones

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Weymouth musicians to take over Bath music festival today

A host of Weymouth musicians will be performing at a major music festival today. Musicians from the town are set to perform at the Bath Party in the City event today, Friday, May 15, highlighting a host of musical styles in front of a broad audience

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Dorset among the top 5 oldest populations in the UK, new analysis shows

Dorset has been named one of the oldest regions by population in the UK, new analysis shows. According to a new report by Opera Beds, 30.5 per cent of Dorset’s population is aged 65 and over, compared to the national average of 20.33 per cent.

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Students immerse themselves in culture on life-changing trip to Thailand

A group of students from a Dorset college have returned from a 12-day cultural exchange trip in Thailand. The learners from Coastland College, including those from both the Weymouth and Kingston Maurward campuses, travelled to Chiang Mai as part

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First-ever vote launched to find Britain's favourite butterfly

The first vote to find Britain's favourite butterfly has been launched. Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation, based in Lulworth, Dorset has launched a nationwide vote running from May 15 to June 7, giving the public a chance to choose from 60

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Popular Dorset food cabin closes after heartfelt decision by owner

A much-loved food cabin has closed its doors for the final time after nearly two years of serving the community. Gary Tilbury, 52, has made the heartfelt decision to close the Curbside Cabin, which was based on Green Lane, Chickerell. He opened

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New chair revealed for £20m Pride in Place investment in Littlemoor and Broadwey

A community leader has been appointed as the new chair of a £20 million regeneration programme. Kevin Hodder has taken on the role for the Pride in Place scheme in Littlemoor and Broadwey, Weymouth, which will see major investment over the next

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Mystery red fields appear in Dorset – and photographers can’t get enough

A series of mystery red fields have appeared across the Dorset countryside, leaving walkers and photographers stopping in their tracks These vibrant fields of red are capturing attention for more than just their beauty. Pictures taken near

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Weather forecast for Dorset over upcoming weekend

Cloudy weather is forecast for Dorset over the upcoming weekend. The Met Office has forecasted mostly cloudy weather and sunny weather over the weekend in Bridport, Dorchester, Portland and Weymouth. For Friday, May 15, Dorchester will start

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‘A wonderful achievement’ Dorset’s Eurovision champion looks back 50 years on

Fifty years on from Brotherhood of Man’s Dutch victory, Nicky Stevens is reflecting on Eurovision, changing times – and why she proudly calls herself a Welsh‑Dorset girl. Brotherhood of Man’s 1976 win made history in the song contest, as the British

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Blind veteran takes on two ultra challenges after saying 'never again'

A blind Weymouth man is taking on not one, but two 100km ultra walking challenges this year, having previously said "never again". Jerry Bradley, 63, who served in the RAF for 13 years, is raising money for Blind Veterans UK, the charity for vision-impaired

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One of world's largest motorbike rides coming this weekend - where to see it

A FUNDRAISING motorbike ride is set to bring together more than 1,000 riders this weekend.  The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, taking place on May 17, will raise funds and awareness for men’s mental health and prostate cancer research. The

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UK tourists will have to pay more to travel abroad this summer after warning issued

Holidaymakers in Europe can expect to pay more to fly. Willie Walsh, director-general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said rising jet fuel costs and supply risks could push European air fares higher. The warning comes

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Premium Bonds odds to improve from July 2026 as NS&I adds 322,000 extra prizes

Hundreds of thousands more people could be in with a chance of winning Premium Bonds prizes from July, with NS&I (National Savings and Investments) improving the draw odds. The chances of winning a prize will improve from 23,000-to-one to 22,000

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Dorset graduate celebrating film debut at Cannes

A National Film and Television School (NFTS) graduate from Dorchester is excited to be travelling to Cannes this weekend after a short film she worked on has been selected to make its screen debut at the renowned French film festival. Rosalind

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Acclaimed rock band to headline major musical festival in Dorset this summer

Kaiser Chiefs are among the headliners set to perform at a popular south coast music festival in Dorset this summer. Taking place at Baiter Park from Friday, July 31, to Sunday, August 2, the popular Poole Harbour Festival will also feature a DJ

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Two women sought by police following reported assault

IMAGES have been issued of two women by police in relation to a reported assault incident in Poole. Dorset Police is investigating an assault in Poole and have issued CCTV images of two women they would like to identify. On May 2, Saturday,

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Furniture store to open in retail park later this month

A new furniture store is set to open its doors later this month. Woods Furniture, which has a store in Dorchester, will launch its Bournemouth branch at Castlepoint’s West Village on Thursday, May 21, taking over the former Lakeland unit. It

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New M&S Foodhall is approved for former Homebase site

A new M&S Foodhall has been approved for the former Homebase site in Poole. In August 2025, Marks and Spencer submitted a planning application to split the former Homebase in Redlands Retail Park in Poole into two stores, one would be used

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First ever flights take place from Bournemouth to Greek island

FLIGHTS from Bournemouth Airport to a “Mediterranean paradise” took off for the first time last week. Last week marked the first flight to Kos with Jet2.com & Jet2holidays. TUI also launched a direct flight from Bournemouth Airport to the

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Family’s heartbreak as 'funny and charismatic' brother diagnosed with rare disease

A FAMILY has been left heartbroken after their “funny and charismatic” brother and son was diagnosed with a rare terminal genetic disease that has turned their lives "upside down" in just a matter of months. Lindsay Atkin said her brother, 38-year-old

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Rare ‘Newport rise and react’ Marmite jar sells in Dorset for £550

A 250g jar of the extremely rare Newport rise and react marmite has been sold for an incredible price of £550 after collector from Bournemouth passed away. The extremely rare "Newport Rise and React" jar was number 150 of 150 in a limited-edition