THERE were celebrations across Dorset and Hampshire at the weekend as two local sportsmen struck gold in Greece and another won silver to become Olympic heroes.

Elated villagers flocked to a North Dorset watering-hole at the weekend to toast the success of rower Matthew Pinsent. And at Lymington the names of Ben Ainslie and Nick Rogers were on everyone's lips.

After being glued to their television sets on Saturday morning, residents in Child Okeford near Blandford made their way to the Bakers Arms to celebrate 33-year-old Pinsent's thrilling triumph in the men's coxless fours.

The Dorset-born dynamo's parents have lived in Child Okeford since 1992 - the year of the Barcelona Olympics where their son, then unknown, won his first rowing gold with his former rowing partner Sir Steve Redgrave.

On Saturday - his first Olympic triumph without Redgrave - Pinsent joined the exclusive club of sporting greats who have won four consecutive Olympic gold medals.

His proud parents; the Rev Ewen Pinsent and his wife Jean were in Athens to watch Pinsent rowing his way to his fourth gold medal with team mates James Cracknell, Ed Coode and Steve Williams.

After watching Pinsent's memorable surge to the finishing line, Maureen Mills, the landlady at the Bakers Arms, said: "We are all thrilled by Matthew's success - it's terrific.

"Like the rest of the villagers, my husband Norman and I have been following Matthew's progress on television. Locals are very proud of him and have joined us here to celebrate his success."

At the medal ceremony Pinsent was completely overcome with emotion and wiped away tears as the National Anthem played.

Meanwhile members of Royal Lymington Yacht Club had two good reasons to party the night away - the gold and silver Olympic medals won by two of their yachtsmen.

The drinks were flowing on Saturday night in celebration of Ben Ainslie and Nick Rogers' stunning success in the Athens Olympics.

Twenty seven-year-old Nick, who enjoyed his first taste of sailing at the age of four at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club, earned a silver medal in the men's 470 class.

And Ben, also 27, came back from a disastrous start to his Olympic campaign to win the Finn class. He added the gold medal to the silver and gold medals he won in the Laser class in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

The Lymington-born pair were cheered on all the way by delighted club members.

Vice commodore Rod Perry said: "We're very proud of them both. Their achievements have given all of our members a huge amount of pleasure and encouragement.

"It's a massive achievement and we would like to say 'well done' from everyone at the club.

"We had a great party on Saturday night and drank to their good health."

First published: August 23