Archive

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Six months of travel chaos as new double cycle lane to be installed

SIX months of travel disruption is expected along a busy Poole route when work on a new double cycle lane and bus lane begins.  Planned work along Ringwood Road through Poole including a new two-way protected cycle lane on the eastern side of Ringwood

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£15m worth of breaches at BCP Council, documents show

BCP COUNCIL breached more than £15m worth of financial regulations last year, documents show.  The breaches, spanning the financial year 2023/24, include unfinished contracts, improper contract tender processes and officer who was unaware of the

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Distraught couple hire expensive pet detective after dog is killed by car

DISTRAUGHT pet owners spent more than £2,000 on a professional pet detective to help find the culprit who hit their dog. Colin Butcher has been hired by Bournemouth couple Ian Clague, 62, and Dominika Sojka, 34, to bring justice for their designer

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Woman sexually assaulted at recreation ground

A WOMAN was put in hospital after a reported serious sexual assault.  The woman in her 30s was in Poole General Hospital shortly before 6am on Sunday, July 28 with injuries to her face and wrist.  She told people at the hospital that she had

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Man vows to never return to Bournemouth after ear bitten off at gig

A MAN has said he will never return to Bournemouth after an attacker bit his ear off at a Razorlight concert. Matt Tate, 44, said he could not look in the mirror after more than a quarter of his ear was bitten off in the unprovoked attack.

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Man reviving Dorset streets with 'extreme gardening'

AN ‘EXTREME gardener’ is reviving Dorset streets one plant at a time through free labour. Joel, 28, has become popular on social media for his videos dressed in a yellow jumpsuit, drinking wine and restoring community spaces. Since sharing

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Town councillors vote against policy which ‘promotes good governance’

A NUMBER of Christchurch town councillors have voted against a policy which ‘guides and promotes good governance’. Councillors Gillian Jarvis, David Jones, Christine Lunn and Stuart Perry voted against adopting the Dignity At Work Policy and signing

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Works to revamp supermarket could take place in autumn

WORKS to revamp a supermarket in Parkstone are planned to take place this autumn. Waitrose is keen to complete the refurbishment at its store in Ashley Road between September and November. As reported, Waitrose has submitted a planning application

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PICTURES: A weekend at Camp Bestival 2024

THOUSANDS of festival-goers basked in the sunlight while watching their favourite acts bring the musical event to life.  The festival had something for everyone, children were put to work by building their wooden playhouses, and cultural performances

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Hospice charity welcomes three new trustees

A CHRISTCHURCH-based hospice charity has welcomed three new trustees. Macmillan Caring Locally (MCL), which is celebrating its golden anniversary, welcomed the arrival of Dr Karen Rees, Peter West and Ann Allen to the site at Christchurch Hospital

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In The Dock: Teen in court for indecent images of children

THE following cases were heard at Poole Magistrates' Court: PAUL SPILLAR, 45 and of Southampton, admitted six counts of theft from a shop after stealing items to the value of £32.05 from Tesco in High Street in Lymington on May 10, stealing three

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Hospice hopes to convert flat into counselling space as it expands

A HOSPICE charity would like to convert a flat into an office and counselling space after it said its hospice had become too small for all its services. Lewis-Manning Hospice Care has applied for planning permission to change the use of the ground

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Backlog of SEND assessments cleared after some families wait more than a year

THE council has now worked through the backlog of assessments for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Sharon Muldoon, interim director of education and skills, told a meeting of the children’s services overview and

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New children’s play café opens in Bournemouth

A NEW children’s play café has opened in Bournemouth. The brand-new ‘Mini Monsters’ café has opened its doors at 960 Wimborne Road in Moordown. Aimed at 0-5 year olds, Mini Monsters is home to soft play, an animal hospital, castle, bus, dinosaur

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Man jailed after punching woman in the face at Wetherspoons pub

A MAN has been jailed after punching a woman in the face at a Wetherspoons pub. Jonathan Bushell, 43, assaulted the woman at The Quay pub in Poole on March 20. Bushell appeared at Poole Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, July 27, to be sentenced

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'Professional criminal’ steals £1000 worth of condoms from Boots

A MAN has been jailed after stealing more than £1000 worth of condoms. Alistair Lees, 35, snatched the condoms from Boots in Christchurch Road during a spree of shopliftings in the Bournemouth area. Lees, of Westover Road in Bournemouth, also

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PHOTOS: Day of the Dog fiesta organised by Dorset Dogs

SOME 100 dogs turned up wagging their tails in excitement for a Day of the Dog fiesta party. Four-legged friends were treated to a customised menu including scrambled eggs, chicken, and rice as well as tacos and other Mexican delicacies. Hosted

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Dorset Police speak out after shocking shoplifting figures

ALARMING figures reveal that shoplifting crime is on the rise for residents across Dorset. New data has revealed that there has been a nearly 30% increase in shoplifting crimes in 2023/24.   Figures from the Home Office show there were 4,641

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Huge expansion plans unveiled for Bournemouth Airport

EXPANSION plans have been unveiled for Bournemouth Airport to handle the ‘far greater numbers of passengers’ forecast. Bournemouth Airport has prepared a ‘programme of improvements’ comprising of terminal expansions and new buildings, and changes

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Large plume of black smoke from van fire near Bournemouth Airport

A LARGE plume of black smoke was seen rising in Bournemouth and Christchurch. Firefighters tackled with a large caravan fire at the Bosley Nursery Business Park in Avon Causeway, Hurn on Monday evening, July 29. Emergency services were called

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50 firefighters called to tackle a large heath fire in Dorset

AROUND 50 firefighters have been deployed to a large heath fire in Dorset. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are currently working to extinguish a heath fire near Wool. The service was called at 5.41pm on Monday, July 29, to a fire

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Coastguard called to help person in difficulty in the water at Christchurch

EMERGENCY services were called to assist a person who had got into difficulty off the coast of Christchurch. HM Coastguard responded to reports of a person in the water at Avon Beach this afternoon, July 29.   They were alerted to reports of

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Eye-catching drone footage follows Dom Whiting's Bournemouth bike ride

HIGH-DEFINITION drone footage shows the journey of world-famous Dom Whiting and his DJ bike session across Bournemouth. Internationally renowned DJ Dom Whiting cycled through sunny Bournemouth town centre for the fifth time on July 28. He was

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Police take part in major rural crime operation

Officers from Dorset Police have been taking part in a national operation targeting poachers in in the county. Dorset Police's Rural Crime Team was out in force patrolling rural locations across Dorset that are known to be hotspots for people poaching

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One lane blocked on busy road in Bournemouth

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Molesley 'grateful for lessons learned' after Cherries defeat

WEYMOUTH boss Mark Molesley was "pleased" with the lesson's learnt after a 2-1 defeat to Cherries' development squad on Saturday.  A second-half header from Francis Amartey was not enough to stop a young Cherries side claiming victory, but Molesley

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In The Dock: Man made fake letter from his health nurse

THE following cases were heard at Poole Magistrates' Court: JORDAN BROUGHAM, 31 and of Millfield in Poole, admitted fraud by false representation after dishonestly making a false representation on December 26, 2021, namely creating a false letter

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Rachel Reeves announces 'painful' spending cuts - winter fuel allowance and more

Chancellor Rachel Reeves today announced a series of cuts to address a public spending black hole of around £20 billion left by the Conservatives. Ministers have in recent days sought to suggest the economic inheritance is worse than they expected

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Major emergency response as diver airlifted to hospital

A DIVER was airlifted to hospital after falling ill on a vessel off the coast of Weymouth. A major emergency response rushed to the aid of the diver, including coastguard, lifeboat teams, paramedics and the air ambulance. A spokesperson for

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Cafe cordoned off by police as forensics examine inside

A FIRE tore through a Bournemouth cafe overnight.  Foodelicious in Wimborne Road, Moordown is shut today (Monday, July 29) following a blaze that has damaged the interior.  A police cordon is currently outside the building, with one police

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Man 'punched in face' at football club car park

A MAN was “punched in the face” leaving him with a fractured jaw and broken glasses.  The victim, in his 30s, was assaulted in the gravel car park at Verwood Town Football Club in Potterne Way, near to Verwood Day Nursery.  It was reported

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Women’s pre-season schedule begins with big loss to Ipswich

CHERRIES’ women began their pre-season schedule with a resounding 4-0 defeat to Ipswich Town at Ringwood Community Hub. Facing a side who compete in the league above, Steve Cuss’s team had no answer as Angela Addison bagged a brace, with Issy Bryant

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Thunderstorms warning for whole of Dorset later this week

THUNDERSTORMS are expected to bring an abrupt end to the sunshine later this week.  The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms on Thursday, August 1 at 12am until midnight the same day.  Heavy showers are forecast

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Connell gets the better of former Cherries teammate Molesley at Weymouth

CHERRIES' development squad’s return to England saw them notch a 2-1 win away at National League South Weymouth. Following a training camp in Spain, which included friendly defeats to FC Cartagena and Nottingham Forest B, Alan Connell’s side headed

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Bike and Garmin accessories stolen in Corfe Mullen

A BIKE along with Garmin accessories have been stolen from a property in Corfe Mullen. It was reported that at around 11.30pm on Thursday, July 11 a burglary took place at an address in Coventry Close. During the incident, a Trek Emonda SL5

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Burglar steals woman's handbag while she sleeps

A BURGLAR stole a woman’s handbag from her home while she was asleep inside.  The burglar was doing his rounds in Webbs Way in Wallisdown during the early hours of Sunday, July 7.  The bag which he took was later found dumped near to the property

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Three bikes stolen from garage in Poole

THREE bikes have been stolen from a garage in Poole with police appealing for witnesses. It was reported that between 12.05am and 12.30am on Wednesday, July 18 a garage at an address in South Western Crescent was broken into and three biked were

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Two people seriously injured after crash destroys two cars

TWO people have been left with serious injuries after a crash destroyed two cars in Wimborne. Police were called to the B3078 on Cranborne Road at around 7.20am on July 29 after reports of collision involving two vehicles. Two people were treated

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Popular supermarket announces shock closure in Dorset

A POPULAR supermarket store has announced it will be closing later this year. The Co-op on Lymington Road, Highcliffe will close its doors on September 14. A spokesperson for Co-op said: “We carry out reviews of our existing store locations

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Dorset woman arrested for Just Stop Oil protest at Gatwick Airport

A WOMAN from Dorset has reportedly been arrested after Just Stop Oil environmentalist group staged a protest at Gatwick Airport. Just Stop Oil supporters who blocked departure gates at Gatwick Airport have been arrested and are being removed, the

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Police block road after 'serious crash' destroys two cars

10:42am Traffic feeds shows Cranborne Road still blocked at the junction with the Grange.  (Image: Google Maps)

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Large emergency response for man needing medical attention

A LARGE emergency response was seen in Bournemouth after reports of a man needing medical attention. Police were called to Braidley Road at 7.49am on July 29 after assistance was requested by the ambulance service. Three police cars were seen

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Line-side fire affects trains towards Bournemouth

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Delays after second incident on A31 Eastbound

1:12pm Both incidents seem to be over, this live blog is now closed. Have a good rest of your day. 

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Emergency services blocked road after incident in Bournemouth

2:58pm A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said: “We were called at 07

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Jet ski parts stolen from Bournemouth driveway

PARTS of a jet ski were stolen from a driveway in Bournemouth.  A man walked up the driveway of a home in Milford Drive and rang the doorbell at about 3pm on Thursday, July 11.  However, when there was no response, he later went to steal parts

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Concerns GP industrial action could bring the NHS to a standstill

GPs have threatened to bring the NHS to a “standstill” with unprecedented industrial action. Doctors across England are being balloted by the British Medical Association (BMA) on whether they are in favour of staging collective action amid a row

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Blue's Duncan James shares fond memories of Poole ahead of gig

BLUE will be bringing ‘all the hits’ when they perform in Poole later this year. That’s what band member and ‘Dorset boy’ Duncan James promised when he spoke with the Daily Echo about the upcoming gig. The noughties pop band is bringing its

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More than 2,000 businesses in Bournemouth in 'significant' distress

MORE than 2,000 businesses in Bournemouth are in ‘significant’ financial distress, new figures show. The latest ‘Red Flag Alert’ figures from Begbies Traynor showed that 2,045 businesses in the town were in ‘significant’ distress, which represents

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Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is in 'housing crisis'

LABOUR councillors have said there is a “housing crisis” in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.  The group presented a motion to BCP Council calling for several changes to the housing situation in the conurbation.  BCP Council’s local housing

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Father and son lose home and belongings in 'suspicious' fire

A FUNDRAISER has been set up for a father and son who lost their home and all their belongings in a suspectedl arson attack. Jacob Jessopp, 22, was forced to smash his way out of the flat on Jewell Road, Townsend, when a fire broke out at around

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Construction work on 200 new homes begins

CONSTRUCTION work on nearly 200 homes has started in the New Forest.  Cala Homes has started work on its 17-hectare Knightwood Chase site in Fordingbridge which will see the delivery of 198 homes comprising one-, two, three- and four-bedrooms. 

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In The Dock: Man found with Samurai sword among the cases

THE following cases were heard at Poole Magistrates' Court: RICHARD MAGUIRE, 63 and of Walton Road in Bournemouth, admitted three counts of assault by beating after assaulting three males in Walton Road in Bournemouth on December 5, 2023. He was

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'If she can do it, I can do it': Woman with rare disease defies odds

AN "INSPIRING" Poole woman is defying the odds by competing in a popular charity dance competition with a challenging disability. Tiff Watson, 52 has volunteered at Forest Holme Hospice for over 6 years. She was born with muscular dystrophy

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New Poole MP vows to do 'whatever he can' to repay town's faith

POOLE’S first ever Labour MP has vowed to do “whatever he can” to “repay the faith that the people of Poole” put in him.  Neil Duncan-Jordan used his maiden parliamentary speech to “wax lyrical about how beautiful” the town is, referring to Branksome

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Walking aid donations sought by YMCA Bournemouth for Gaza amputees

YMCA Bournemouth is supporting a campaign to provide walking aids for Gaza amputees. In response to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 10,000 people reportedly have had limb amputations, half of them children, YMCA Bournemouth

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'Dorset Metro' could improve rail links across area

WORK on a potential ‘Dorset Metro’ that will provide greater rail links across Bournemouth and the surrounding area will begin this summer. A strategic outline business case will be developed for initially an additional all stations train service