If only Christmas had been a month early this year. We’d all be sitting in front of the telly now eating leftover turkey sandwiches and the Quality Street in blue and pink wrappers watching some old movie. Outside the snow would be deep and crisp
HE served 21 years in the Royal Air Force and 31 years in the Police Force, but nothing could prepare Alan C Wood for the evening of August 14, 1981. While serving in Dorset Police he was sent to a house in Abbott Road, Bournemouth, where he was told
DEMAND for holiday homes in Bournemouth is growing with 4.1 per cent of all buyers opting for a seaside retreat, says a new survey. The demand for second homes is booming in many areas of the South West including Dorset, helping push prices well above
OFFERS of help are continuing to flood in to help make a five-year-old boy’s last months as happy as possible. Little David has been diagnosed with a fatal brain tumour and his family has launched an appeal to make his wishes come true. A Wishlist for
ROBBIE Woolner was the four-goal star when M A Hart Pickford Cup holders Portcastrian swept New Milton Eagles aside 8-1 in their third round tie. Sam Smith (2), Rhys Dear and Jon Winn were the other Portcastrian scorers with Shahed Miah getting
SUTTONERS Civil produced a superb performance to chalk up their first win of the season in the Hayward Premier Division, coming back with two second-half goals from Lee Owen to beat Parley Sports 3-2. Rob Lay’s first-half strike for Suttoners
HOLDERS Bournemouth Sports are safely through to the last 16 of the M A Hart Robbins Cup after their 6-0 fourth round win over Parley thanks to Tony Bellot’s treble and further goals from Phil Nicolaou (2) and Matt Gunary. Lovett are also through after
New Milton Town are within a point of Branksome Con at the top of the Hayward Premier Division after toppling the previously-unbeaten leaders 3-2 with goals from Alex Rossi, Craig Light and Matt Molloy. Liam McGlynn and Anthony Winders were the Branksome
SWANAGE Town and Herston manager Paul Whitton expects his side to be docked three Magna Dorset Premier League points after they missed their clash with Chickerell United on Saturday. The Swans were unable to get their minibus on the road and could not
SANTA, his elf and six reindeer landed in Christchurch to join in the fun at Saturday’s Christmas Festival and switching on of the town’s festive lights. He travelled through Bargates and the High Street to the Town Hall, where he was met on the balcony
WARNINGS have been given about a bogus telephone survey by people claiming to represent Dorset County Council. Bogus callers have asked for information on loans and endowments, plus household insurance, gas, electricity and telephone providers. They
Normally, as I upload recipes for our Taste section on a Monday, I find myself mentally earmarking at least two for future reference - like last week's slow-cooked lamb for example, or the tomato soup with pesto cream. Not this week. This week heavily
AN injured former soldier fears he “wasted his time” serving his country after being told he has to wait up to 10 years for a council house. Ex-Sgt Eddie Stalker has a numb chest after being injured by a mortar blast in Afghanistan and has
Chestnut, Leek and Mushroom Tartlets Serves 4 225g/8 oz ready made vegetarian puff pastry (thawed if frozen) 50g/2 oz wild rice, cooked 30ml/2 tbsp olive oil 15g/½ oz vegan margarine 375g/12 oz leeks, finely chopped 100g
We couldn't let today pass without a short tribute - or tooto actor Leslie Neilsen, who has died aged 84. Watch and enjoy - and leave us your favourite Neilsen moments in the comments...
A WISHLIST for David has gone global, with family and friends in America and Italy starting to fundraise for the terminally ill little boy. The Daily Echo appeal was launched a week ago to try to help the family of a five-year-old boy dying
FRESH chestnuts are in the shops from autumn until January and there are so many ways to enjoy the succulent nuts there is no reason why you shouldn’t be eating them now. Chestnuts are a guilt-free treat which have less fat than other nuts
A BOURNEMOUTH shopkeeper has trouble sleeping and refuses to be in his store alone after being viciously attacked with a metal bar. Zeynel Altun needed six stitches to deep cuts in his head after Steven Robertson, 38, burst into his Northbourne convenience
EXCESSIVE charges are deterring “overburdened” developers from building in Bournemouth, councillors have claimed. A controversial new transport contribution scheme, which requires developers to pay £713 for each new car trip they generate,
AS a child growing up in South Africa, Loren Taylor used to make bags from banana leaves and bamboo. But these days her designs are far more ornate. Her luxurious holdalls, clutch bags and totes now adorn the shiny shelves of some of London’s most exclusive
A SCHOOL in East Dorset was closed when its heating broke down in the sub-zero temperatures today. Repairs were being done to the boiler at St Mary's CE First School in West Moors. Weather latest
A BOURNEMOUTH trader has been fined for selling out-of-date food and altering date information on food packaging. Samini Motaghi, of Star Supermarket, Christchurch Road, was ordered to pay more than £1,000 after trading standards officers took him to
THERE are plenty of great performers and a fair few can still cut the mustard deep into middle age, but how many are making music every bit as vital and exciting – perhaps even more so – as they did as teenagers? Paul Weller is one such. He
I was really looking forward to this morning's ride to work, however it wasn't quite as good as I was hoping. My first disappointment was peeking through the curtains to be greeted by the usual view and not one of freshly fallen snow. I
Why, in such credit crunching times, is Castlepoint closing one of the most used pedestrian crossings with massive green barriers? There were many bemused looks as people arrived at the curb only to notice the other side of the crossing was blocked
While not wanting to appear too negative, it would seem that this proposal for the Winter Gardens requires a little scrutiny (Daily Echo, November 26). Are the new hotels as well as, or instead of, the proposed Hilton in Exeter Road? The temporary
RECENTLY I attended the public exhibition at the Royal Bath Hotel by Eneco, the company to which the Crown Estates have granted the development rights for the wind farm off our beaches. Given the near-complete dearth of publicity, I was not surprised
BOURNEMOUTH University’s timing in displaying generosity to staff in its IT and Estates department is about as impressive as saying “Happy New Year” to a turkey. At a time of protests over mighty tuition fee increases, together with a hefty
WHETHER it's down to our famous microclimate or just the inaccuracy of weather forecasts we don't know, but the promised weekend snow didn't really materialise. So, here (just for fun) is a round up of what's predicted for this week... BBC weather
Epilepsy Support Group Poole and Bournemouth hold meetings on the first Tuesday of every month at URC Church, Longfleet Road, Poole from 7-9pm. We’re able to provide support and information for people with epilepsy, their carers, friends or relatives
I think it is welcome that Poole council intends switching off some street lights. In our previous residence in Parkstone, we lived in a quiet cul-de-sac with very little traffic. However the street lights were left on all night. Where we now live
I read an article regarding a supermarket’s TV advert, which showed a small boy pinning a Christmas stocking to his dog’s kennel. Apparently, over 1,000 people, presumably all dog lovers and owners, complained bitterly that the boy had abandoned the
I write in response to Mr Williams’ hysterical letter (Have Your Say, November 26) which could well worry social housing tenants all over the local area if his assertions are not corrected, the coalition government’s policy is that new social housing
This Christmas, millions of us will spend precious time and money choosing pointless gifts for people who don’t really want them. So instead of following this crazy and costly routine, why not surprise someone instead with a much-needed gift in aid
WATCHING celebrities munch on bugs in the jungle always makes me feel slightly ill. But when I heard that a Bournemouth sweetshop was selling oven-baked tarantula, chocolatecoated black ants and scorpion lollypops I accepted a challenge to
SENSITIVE details of a man’s mental health problems, including his suicide attempts and self-harm, have been sent out to a stranger by mistake. The father-of-one from Lower Parkstone, Poole told of his shock when he opened the letter, which
EDDIE Howe admits the prospect of facing Premier League opposition in the FA Cup will “whet the appetite” ahead of Cherries’ rescheduled clash with Notts County. The prize for the victors of the second round tie – postponed on Saturday due to a frozen
GENEROUS Dean Court chairman Eddie Mitchell is offering supporters FREE coach travel to Cherries’ rearranged FA Cup clash at Notts County. Mitchell has made the gesture after numerous fans were left frustrated following the late postponement of Saturday
CROCKED Cherries star Marc Pugh may have received an unexpected boost in his bid to exorcise the ghost of a personal FA Cup nightmare. Pugh was set to miss Cherries’ second round clash at Notts County on Saturday after sustaining a nasty leg injury during
JOE Roach is today unveiled as Cherries’ secret millionaire. Unfortunately, however, the club’s youth and reserve team manager regrets he will not be in a position to shower gifts on the needy. Appointed by Sean O’Driscoll in 2001, Roach has seen the
INCENSED staff have criticised Bournemouth University’s “double standards” over a Christmas lunch at a luxury hotel. The IT and Estates department is having a three-course meal at The Royal Bath on Friday, December 17. The meal comes
Swanage Library will be closed for six months to enable extensive £424,000 renovations to be carried out. Plans to open a temporary library in the High Street have been shelved, but a replacement mobile service will start from Friday at the
