Two brothers jailed after being accused of conning thousands of customers into visiting what they claimed was a Lapland-style theme park near Ringwood have had their convictions overturned by appeal judges.

Three judges at the Court of Appeal - who heard argument that the jury hearing the case should have been discharged after it was revealed that one of the panel had been exchanging text messages with her fiance - announced that they had "reached the conclusion that the convictions are unsafe."

Victor Mears, 67, and Henry Mears, 60, were jailed for 13 months in March this year and have both now served their sentences.

Full story and reaction in Thursday's Echo.