Archive
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County's young farmers are the cream of culinary crop
BEAMINSTER’S Young Farmers have won a cookery competition. The three-strong team of Lucy Wallbridge, Matt Fram-pton and Ellie Norris were competing at the 64th Dorset Young Farmers’ rally as part of of Cornish Mutual’s ‘Come Together, Eat Together
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Portland pupils learn their a, b, sea
PUPILS from two schools on Portland teamed up for sea-themed fun and creative activities that culminated in a spectacular parade. Youngsters from Grove Infant School and Southwell Primary School enjoyed an arts week with a difference, which encompassed
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Poundbury's 500th house
WITH the construction of Poundbury now around the halfway stage, Dorset builders CG Fry & Son have sold their 500th house at the landmark development. And the buyers have not had to move very far – because it is their third Poundbury home. Leslie and
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Broadmayne's Margaret is backing leprosy mission
A CHARITABLE Broadmayne woman is holding a coffee morning in the village to raise funds for The Leprosy Mission. Margaret Mortimer, 85, pictured, has supported the international charity for many years and is now looking to raise cash for a woman who
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Youth teams from Weymouth take on Ten Tors challenge
MILES of hazard-ridden terrain and blisters could not stop intrepid cadets from Weymouth completing an epic walking challenge. Three teams from Budmouth College’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF) attended the annual Ten Tors event on Dartmoor. There are levels
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Weymouth team's mercy mission for butterflies
A CONSERVATION team from Weymouth has just finished its Lottery-funded project in style. The Butterfly Conservation volunteers spent six weeks snipping, sawing and burning up unwanted scrubby bushes on the nature reserve at Broadcroft Quarry in order
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Exhibition to show Ridgeway's virtues
PEOPLE are being encouraged to visit an exhibition extolling the virtues of the South Dorset Ridgeway. Ridgeway Voices, a free temporary exhibition, is at Dorset County Museum until June 25. The exhibition aims to discover the landscape of the South
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Taking on a kayak marathon in Dorset
AN intrepid firefighter is getting ready to kayak a marathon distance every day for a month. Watch Manager Sean Dolan of Humberside Fire & Rescue Service, will attempt to kayak nearly 700 miles from Christchurch in Dorset, to Carlisle on the Scottish
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Dorset County Show set to go with a bang yet again
THIS year’s Dorset County Show organisers hope that the 2011 extravaganza will be bigger and better than ever. All the traditional attractions plus some extra ones are planned to ensure a bumper county showcase this year. The two-day family feast, which
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Dorchester centenarian looks back at a colourful life
MARY Thompson has been looking back on a hectic life as she celebrates her 100th birthday today. She enjoys the quiet life these days but has been remembering the times when she ran from police during riots against Oswald Mosley’s blackshirts in the
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Charmouth library mystery may help campaign
CHARMOUTH campaigners are appealing for help to solve a mystery surrounding their library building. The Friends of Charmouth Library hope some new information could bolster their campaign. Friends chairman Hazel Robinson said: “Myth, rumour and old
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Denhay Farm host open day
Visitors to Denhay Farm will be able to learn how its famous cheddar is made during the farm’s open day on June 12. The day is part of the sixth annual Open Farm Sunday run by the charity Leaf, Linking Environment And Farming, which helps farmers and
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Teenager braves sea to save struggling dog in Weymouth Bay
A TEENAGE girl swam out to sea to save a rottweiler that was struggling off Preston beach in Weymouth. Staff at the Café Oasis were asked to alert the Coastguard by the owner whose pet had jumped into the water and made its way out into Weymouth
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Finance trouble: Council admit £6m savings are out of reach
COUNTY Hall finance chiefs have warned that £6million of savings may not be achieved by next year as Dorset County Council grapples with an ‘unprecedented’ savings target of more than £55million by 2012-13. Spiralling redundancy costs –
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Finance trouble: Unions agree with council staffing changes
The new measures agreed with unions include removing the proposed six days a year of compulsory unpaid leave, initially put forward as 12 days a year, and instead promoting voluntary unpaid leave to staff. Other alterations include some changes to unsocial
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People flock to Weymouth's Quayside Festival
MUSIC lovers of all ages soaked up the sounds of a two-day harbourside music festival. The Quayside Festival at Weymouth harbour proved a popular draw for local residents and holidaymakers over the bank holiday weekend. Despite the changeable weather
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Weymouth Asda's £11m refurb will create over 100 jobs
A WEYMOUTH supermarket is set to create more than 100 jobs. Refurbishments at Asda on Newstead Road in Weymouth have been going on for some time as part of an £11million redesign that will see the store almost double from 27,000 sqft to 52,000
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Seven people taken to hospital after Wool car crash
A FIVE-YEAR-OLD girl was among seven people taken to hospital after a two-car crash near Wool. Police, two fire engines and five ambulances were called to Tout Hill near Monkey World when a Silver MG Rover and a white Ford Mondeo collided
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Arsonists cause fire at New Ground on Portland
A bunker used to store straw and hay was set alight by arsonists at New Ground on Portland, firefighters said. A Dorset Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said crews from the island were called to the bunker measuring 8m x 20m near the High Angle Battery
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Well done people
May I through the Dorset Echo thank all the people who attended the concert by the Bagshot Concert Bandstand at St John’s Church on May 21. Thanks to all the helpers, volunteers and church organisations for making the evening’s event so successful.
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Thanks to you all
I would like to say a huge thank you to all the kind-hearted Dorset Echo readers for supporting the British Heart Foundation’s annual Weymouth Bay Swim back in August last year. We managed to raise over £28,000 which will help the BHF to continue to
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Badge out of place
I was amazed to see a car with a blue badge showing on the dashboard with that famous ‘yellow ticket’ slapped on the windscreen. I checked the parking, double yellow line, yes, not a problem, two yellow stripes on pavement, no, not a problem
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Why councillors ‘cross the floor’
apparently, ‘crossing the floor’ appears to be a popular local pastime amongst politicians here in Dorset. There have been a spate of them in recent years, in both Weymouth and Portland and in West Dorset. The latest is Wyke councillor Geoff Petherick
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More help needed
More volunteers are needed at Margaret Green Animal Rescue to ‘man’ our stall at open days and collections throughout the year across Dorset. If you can help, we would love to hear from you. Please contact your local rescue and rehoming venture on
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What goes around
I REFER to Michel Hooper-Immins’s letter about West Dorset taking over Weymouth. Good luck to them. Should a survey be taken, probably 90 per cent of Portland would support it. If it should be the case, Weymouth will get all it deserves. There would
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Goodbye and thanks to Jack
A PACKED congregation listened to former Portesham vicar Rev Roy Wyatt describe himself as “bookends” to Jack Elwin’s ministry, as he spoke warmly at the special service to thank Jack for his many years of service here at St Peter’s. Friends from
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Discover the magic of Salad Days
AWARD-WINNING Theatre 2000 is back at the Regent in Christchurch following its success with South Pacific last year. Now they present one of the most enchanting musicals ever to grace the West End stage, Salad Days, which opened in London in 1954.
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The birth of Haydn Rhys Webster
A COUPLE have welcomed their first son into their lives. Melanie Moore, 27, a bank manager originally from Portland and Matt Webster, 24, also a bank manager, from Cambridge, welcomed their first son Haydn Rhys Webster. He was born on May 5 weighing
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The life of Bridget Ogden
TRIBUTES have been paid to a social worker and professional whose passion for the career was ignited by a stay on Portland. Bridget Ogden, who died recently aged 86, was a mentor and inspiration to hundreds of college students with whom she worked with
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Coronation street party is fondly remembered
SUE Masters, nee Hames, of Dorchester sent in this lively photograph of a Coronation street party in June 1953. The event was held by residents of Ackerman Street in the county town and the huge celebration cake in the centre of the top table was made
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Artist Rae is reunited with work of his teens
ARTIST Robin Rae, 82, from Bradpole, near Bridport, has been reunited with a picture he painted and sold in 1947 when he was a 19-year-old art student at Ealing College of Art. The painting, Wiltshire White Horse, was bought by a Mr Quormby, the Inspector
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The marriage of Michael Russell and Leah Wigley
A COUPLE had their perfect day in Weymouth. Michael John Russell, 28, married Leah Jane Wigley, 25, on Friday, May 20 at All Saints Church in Wyke Regis. Michael is a civil servant at Bovington Camp. He has been out to Afghanistan four
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An otterly remarkable comeback for critter
DORSET Wildlife Trust has released extraordinary pictures of a coastal otter, illustrating the dramatic change in fortunes for this supreme predator. Photographer Jeremy Jeffery, visiting from Kent, was able to capture these images in broad daylight
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Dip below the pond surface at Radipole Lake
NO MATTER what your age, one of the greatest delights in life is getting stuck into a bit of pond dipping. Radipole Lake, the RSPB reserve near the centre of Weymouth, is one of the best places in town to discover what goes on beneath the surface. A
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Football game to be held in memory of Dorchester teen Nathan
OLD PROS from both sides of the Rigdeway will be dusting off their football boots for a match in memory of a Dorchester teenager. Friends of Nathan Cross, who died in January following a bacterial infection at the age of just 16, at the Kingston Maurward
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Pre-fabs provoke many a memory
IDRIS Martin’s story about life in a Littlemoor pre-fab in the 1950s (Looking Back, May 24) sparked a storm of interest from readers. Many phoned in saying how much they enjoyed living in the houses and others contacted us with stories about the Dragon
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Terras' job too good to miss
MIKE Fowler has described the vacant manager’s role at Weymouth “too good an opportunity to miss”. The 29-year-old is due to meet with the Terras’ board tomorrow to discuss the position despite having received offers to return to full-time
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Fancy Dress tournament raises £1,115 for Mammography Appeal
THE third Will Mackaness Charity Tennis Tournament helped raise £1,115 towards Dorset County Hospital’s Digital Mammography Appeal. Twenty-six pairs, ranging in age from nine to over 60, took part in the annual event that was held at both Weymouth Tennis
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Seasiders choose Quick as new captain
JULIAN Quick has won the race to become captain of Weymouth’s first XV. Predecessor Mark Sample announced he was stepping down from the role at the end of last season in order to go travelling later this year. And after a rigorous selection process,
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Moby Dick's Bears close in
MOBY Dick’s Bears drew level at the top of Swift Signs Division One following a 51-run win over Budmouth. Batting first, the Bears overcame the early loss of Guest as James Almond (38) and Jim Ryall (39) forged a useful second-wicket partnership.
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Dorset up for Rec showdown
SEAN Walbridge believes his side are “in with a great chance of qualifying” for the knockout stages of the MCCA Trophy after pulling off a fantastic 32-run victory over Bedfordshire at Dunstable Town Cricket Club. Dorset’s hopes of progressing from
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Blake still on course for 2012
DORCHESTER middle-distance runner Paul Blake insists his pursuit of London 2012 glory has not been blown off course despite a fifth-place finish on his BT Paralympic World Cup debut. The 21-year-old made an explosive start to 2011, grabbing 400m gold
